I’ve read George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession but never saw a production of it until the play was put on this season as part of the Shaw Festival. Mrs. Warren runs a number of elite brothels in various countries. She is very wealthy. But her daughter, Vivie, has been raised outside “The Life” and attended Cambridge. She wants to become an accountant. When Vivie learns the truth about her mother’s profession and the source of the wealth that gave her a first-class education, she rebels. Shaw makes his points about the opportunities of women in Victorian England. Much of Shaw’s arguments are still valid today. I thought the second act of Mrs. Warren’s Profession dragged a bit as the same arguments Shaw made in Act One get rehashed in Act Two. While Mrs. Warren’s Profession isn’t my favorite Shaw play, it accurately depicts the state of women in 1908. GRADE: B
What synchronicity! I’m currently watching the film of Shaw’s CAESAR & CL:EOPATRA.
Dan, and while you’re watching CAESAR & CLEOPATRA, the Shaw Festival has released their schedule for 2017. SAINT JOAN is one of the productions so I’m looking forward to that!
I saw this play the last time we attended the Shaw and thought much the same thing. I have come to the conclusion that Shaw was not a truly great playwright. He had important things to say but he didn’t create characters that did more than say them. You need to come to Stratford. You won’t regret the longer drive. They are doing GUYS AND DOLLS this year among 14 other plays.
Patti, you might see Diane and me in Stratford next summer. You’re right about Shaw’s plays being about the Message than the characters.
I agree with you about the play. It is not one of my favorite Shaws, though it is popular enough that they put it on fairly regularly, perhaps because actresses of a certain age like the juicy role. We’ve seen it twice, first in an oddly cast version at Lincoln Center 40 years ago, with Ruth Gordon and Lynn Redgrave. We saw it again in 2010 with Cherry Jones and Sally Hawkins. There are other Shaw plays I’d recommend more highly.
Jeff, I’m looking forward to seeing SAINT JOAN next season.
Others? HEARTBREAK HOUSE (Rex Harrison, Amy Irving), MAJOR BARBARA (Philip Bosco, Laurie Kennedy), PYGMALION THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE (saw three times, the last with Philip Bosco and Victor Garber). SAINT JOAN (Lynn Redgrave, Philip Bosco). We also saw the ubiquitous Bosco in Shaw’s YOU NEVER CAN TELL.
Jeff, I’ve never seen HEARTBREAK HOUSE but I would like to. I’ve seen all the others on your list at least once.
Forgive me if I’m less than enthusiastic about “the state of women in 1908”. I know women were oppressed, as was everyone else except white males. Yes I’m a white male so I’m evil and should be chastised, punished, blamed and hated by most everyone for things and attitudes I personally had not part of. I don’t need “the message”. I get it already, okay???
Bob, MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION just shows how far we’ve come in 100+ years. And how far we have to go.
I’m sure I’ve not read or seen this one, but from the sound of it, I’m not eager.
Rick, Shaw is an uneven writer. I seen most of his plays.
That’s another comment I didn’t write! Someone aspires to be me, apparently!