Mrs. Warren’s Profession reviewed by Frank Meccia

[rating=4]How times have changed in this Country. George Bernard Shaw’s play Mrs. Warren’s Profession, a play he wrote to draw attention to the truth that prostitution was caused because woman were so underpaid, undervalued and over worked that the poorest of them were forced to resort to prostitution. The play was first performed in NYC in 1905 and was closed down after the first performance by the obscenity authorities and the producer and players were arrested. The play was finally and legally able to be performed in 1926.

Thankfully times have changed, because this was a fantastic performance of this classic. Mrs. Warren played by Elaine Carlson was perfect in this role, and so believable, that you feel her pain of losing her daughter. Her daughter Vivie played by Tracey Greenwood gave such total belief and substance to this play. Vivi, a thoroughly modern woman who just graduated from Cambridge in mathematics is being introduced to suiters by her mother, even thou she is in love with a poor youthful man called Frank, the son of the Rev. Gardner a local minister and possibly Vivie’s biological father. Even thou there have always been tension between Vivie and her mother, she soon learns how her mother became so successful and rich and was able to give her daughter everything she wanted, to include an education. At first horrified by her mothers’ story, she then becomes a champion for her mother.

This play adapted by Melanie Spewock brings the impact of what Mr. Shaw was trying to say without dragging out the show as other theatre have done. She brings the show down to a respectable 2 hours and 10 minutes with a 10 min intermission. Directed by Michael Graham, the story flows and all the actors have been perfectly selected for this play. Being such a small theatre that comfortable handles a small audience, I must acknowledge the work of Conor Clark, the set designer. Too take a small space and make it work so well into different locations was masterful. It blends so well with the motto of Promethean Theatre “To create theatre that fuses simplicity of design with intelligent, passionate storytelling”.

Mrs. Warren’s Profession is playing till March 29

^{Performances are as follows:.}

^{Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 pm,}

^{Sundays at 2:30 pm,}

^{Mondays March 2 and 16 at 7:30 pm}

^{running time 2 hours ( with an intermission)}

^{The Otherworld Theatre is located at 3914 N. Clark Street
Tickets: $30 general admission (seniors $25, students and military personnel $15). This show I give a high recommendation, and a show not to miss.}

Go to http://www.prometheantheatre.org or www.goldstar.com

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”.