Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (reviewed Friday 26 July).
Mrs Warren’s Profession about a woman who owns a brothel is a bold choice for Castle Hill Players, keeping in line with last season’s highly entertaining The Vibrator Play. Mrs Warren is less provocative and more expository in its approach, but equally entertaining nonetheless.
George Bernard Shaw said he wrote the play “to draw attention to the truth that prostitution is caused, not by female depravity and male licentiousness, but simply by underpaying, undervaluing and overworking women so shamefully that the poorest of them are forced to resort to prostitution.” The characters in this socially-forward play are the titular Mrs Warren, herself a former prostitute, and her daughter, Vivie, who has grown up as an educated female with no awareness of her mother’s past.
Adding to the dramatis personae are four male characters: Rev Samuel Gardner, his son Frank Gardner, Sir George Crofts (Mrs Warren’s business partner) and Praed, a long-time artistic friend of Mrs Warren who knows nothing about her past.
Each character has a stake in Mrs Warren’s revelation, which is arrived at with methodical timing. Shaw’s text is a little dense and static with less poetic feel than a Jane Austen or John Galsworthy novel, but the exquisite extravagance of an extraordinary situation is unmissable. Director Steve Rowe, cast and crew have delivered a high quality production you might see on BBC; a forward-thinking period piece with strong, independent women, playful wry humour, and an idyllic picturesque backdrop.
Paula Searle is marvellous as the unapologetic Mrs “Kitty” Warren. Daisy Alexis as her daughter Vivie is charismatic and charming, creating a believable arc from innocence to maturity. The three older male characters (Praed played by Dave Went, Sir George Crofts played by Christopher Clark and Rev. Samuel Gardner played by Jeremy Johnson) bring spontaneity and performative qualities to their fusty British roles (Johnson’s sanctimonious hoarseness in particular is a scene stealer). Jem Rowe as the young and handsome Frank Gardner is theatrically delightful as always. Together, the cast have excellent chemistry, and one can greatly appreciate their work in developing deep compassion for their characters.
Costume production by Nicola Barry, Diddy Fitzgerald and Leone Sharp create lasting impressions with an unmatchable elegance.
George Bernard Shaw wouldn’t just be proud, he’d be smitten.
Mrs Warren’s Profession is playing at the The Pavilion Theatre in Castle Hill til 17 August 2024. For tickets and showtimes, go to https://paviliontheatre.org.au/mrswarrensprofession/
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Images: Chris Lundie