‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ – George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Eric Tucker. Stage Management by Fanni Horváth. Scenic Design by David Gammons. Sound Design by Nate Tucker. Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg. Costume Design by Leslie Held. Video Design by Maxwell Mandell. Intimacy Coordination by Jesse Hinson. A collaboration between Bedlam and Central Square Theater, ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ runs from May 29th to June 22nd at 450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139.
By Charlotte Snow
As much as I love a period piece, I’ve found my fondness for them tainted due to the current administration’s efforts to place Victorian-style restrictions upon inalienable human rights. So, I was fully dreading a night full of corsets and bell skirts. To my relief, I walked into the theater and found the stage set with a faux rustic conference table, tricked out with rolling chairs, and above, a floating screen flashing disparate numbers. I sighed a deep breath of relief reminiscent of the first vape hit at the start of the play. I remained curious as to how the meaning of the playwright’s words would be changed when placed out of the context he originally intended.
Mrs. Warren’s Profession was written by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw in 1893. Perhaps now best known for writing Pygmalion, the play that would later be adapted into My Fair Lady, Shaw has always been recognized for his witticisms, verbosity, and searing critiques of class and capitalism. His staples and sentiments, even with this being one of his earlier works, are on full display in Mrs. Warren’s Profession. Thoroughly independent Vivie Warren, having just graduated university, spends a holiday officially meeting her mother. However, on top of the constant bombardment of suitors, she slowly learns the truth of how her mother has made their living and is forced to ask herself if she can continue being funded by sullied money.
This production boldly depicts the success of the eponymous profession as comparable to the success of media moguls, Wall Street stockbrokers, and CEOs. Occasionally, the conceit rubs uncomfortably against the text with lines like “Oh golly, what a lark” and “dying in a lead factory.” However, those moments are rare. During the majority of the play’s runtime, the modernization grounds the characters and their action while bridging the gap between Shaw’s time and ours.
A concept like this might otherwise feel gimmicky, but some of Boston’s best actors make up this mighty ensemble. Each actor is virtuosic, and there is truly no weak link. All of the actors frequently have large chunks of text that they seemingly effortlessly imbue with precision, presence, and personality.
“Don’t be led astray by someone who does not know the world,” Mrs. Warren cautions her daughter at the end of Act One. It’s a powerful sentiment that runs through the course of the play but becomes increasingly complex and challenging with every passing scene. That said, the story up to that point meandered. It was enticing, largely due to the actors and the production elements, but Act One felt almost aimless as it was preoccupied with setup. It was worth it in the end, as the setup comes to heartbreaking but satisfying fruition in Act Two.
There were moments throughout both acts when I wished for some of Bedlam’s signature style of physical and experimental theater to make an appearance. Apart from a lively dinner sequence, the bulk of the staging was disappointingly bare, mainly consisting of characters standing and sitting in chairs or at the conference table. For a tennis court seating arrangement, it was a shame that the actor’s playing space felt so limited. There were too many missed opportunities to physicalize the absurdity of opulence and the inhumanity behind business etiquette, especially because this production felt so similar to Succession and Severance.
These gripes are ultimately minor as Mrs. Warren’s Profession has been a true highlight of the theater season, and I highly recommend it. It’s a rarely staged work, and this particular version cuts to the heart of Shaw’s play while speaking to a contemporary audience.
For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.centralsquaretheater.org/
