Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 15th April 2023
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
4.5*****
Mrs Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw tells the story, principally, of a daughter battling to come to terms with the discovery that her mother has earned her living (and funded said daughter’s education) from the world’s oldest profession.
Vivie, a thoroughly modern young women, ploughs her own furrow being eminently practical and focused on her career! Rose Quentin plays our heroin with a believable air of realism through her commanding presence combined with a charm and wit which shows she has an impressive acting range and likable stage persona. She was a revelation in this demanding lead role.
Caroline Quentin is wonderful as the Mrs Warren of the title. She can emotionally pivot on a sixpence, from sense to insensibility. I loved her changes of accent to accentuate the more earthy practicality and justification of her life choices. A magnificent performance, as you would expect, considering her considerable body of exceptional work.
Naturally, this real life mother and daughter duo had an easy chemistry together and their two extended duets (at the end of each act) were particularly spellbinding.
The male ensemble were superb too. In order of appearance, Praed was amusing and a nice foil to the other men around him, played by Stephen Rahman-Hughes with an infectiously naive air and sunny disposition. Sir George Crofts, the hard nosed business man of the piece, was wrought with grit, steel and determination by Simon Shepherd. Our romantic lead Frank Gardner, was given all the contradiction of youth by Peter Losasso in a charmingly nuanced performance with hilarious timing – especially that shocked first kiss! And lastly, certainly not least, was Matthew Cottle playing Reverend Sam Gardner; the socially conscious clergyman with an embarrassingly colourful past. Another actor whose work I have enjoyed over the years, it was a thrill to see Mr Cottle in action, close up.
Credit must go to Director Anthony Banks for a perfectly paced production which whizzed by rapidly, the actors never dropping a beat. The set was employed to wonderful effect with a magnificently off kilter church conveying a sense of claustrophobia and inhibition and Vivie’s house seemed to be a metaphor for her small world straining at the seams with each new visitor’s revelations. The scene where the company took tea in the house was comedy gold. The transition between locations was also worthy of special mention, especially the one from Church to office being particularly epic.
The second act was even more amusing than the first, finishing on a high (dramatically speaking). It was full of revelation and emotion unleashed and, fittingly, all the actors final scenes were their best.
Shaw’s play is very much of its time and in many ways well ahead of it, still seeming surprisingly modern (given that it was first performed in 1902). A thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking romp through the social mores which question attitudes we still struggle with. Above all though it’s highly entertaining and enormous fun, with an exceptional cast of fine actors! Another unmissable production at the wonderful Malvern Theatres.