Date: Fri 26-Jan-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Quick Words:

Mrs-Warren-Shaw-Yale-theatre

Full Text:

(rev, "Mrs Warren's Profession" at Yale Rep, 1/26/96)

Theatre Review-

Still Defending Mrs Warren

(with photo)

By June April

NEW HAVEN - "If on the large social scale we get what we call vice instead of

what we call virtue, it is simply because we are paying more for it." These

telling words were written in 1902 by George Bernard Shaw, in his Preface to

his play Mrs Warren's Profession .

The dilemma of virtuosity is an ongoing reality, especially for women. This

issue is currently before us on the screen in the adaptation of Jane Austen's

Sense and Sensibilities , and also at the Yale Repertory Theatre with Shaw's

Mrs Warren's Profession . Both productions merit one's time and dollars, for

they are truly classics and most excellently presented.

Prostitution is supposedly the world's oldest profession. It is Shaw's

contention that its existence is not a factor of female depravity or male

licentiousness, "but simply by underpaying, undervaluing and overworking women

so shamefully that the poorest of them are forced to resort to prostitution to

keep body and soul together."

In Austen's Sense and Sensibilities , it is Shaw's statement that "attractive

unpropertied women lose money by being infallibly virtuous or contracting

marriages that are not more or less venal," which is the echoed thought of the

feminist Austen.

Written in 1894, the Lord Chamberlain banned Shaw's play. It was not staged

until some eight years later, and then by the "Stage Society," basically a

private club not bound by the censorship of British Parliamentary Law. The

English public was finally able to see Profession in 1925.

It was produced in New Haven on October 27, 1905; three days later it was

performed in New York, with cries for censorship from most of the press. Shaw

noted "a leading New York newspaper that was among the most abusively

clamorous for the supression of the play was fined heavily for deriving part

of its revenue from advertisements of Mrs Warren's Houses."

The dynamic elements of the play - pretense versus purpose, the strong will

between a mother, self-educated through the "hard knocks of life" school, a

daughter with a top-notch English education, and societal codes as compared to

societal truths - are embraced in the current New Haven production by director

Liz Diamond and sensitively passed on to the cast. Shaw's stated intent for

this play (and others of his) was to stimulate thought and ignite the audience

to act on humane issues.

Overall, the cast is outstanding and well-chosen. Having seen this play at

"The Shaw Festival" in Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ontario), this reviewer found the

Yale Rep production a fine runner-up. Since this is closer than Canada, and

not on this year's "Festival" offerings, it is a must-see for anyone within

driving distance interested in stimulating and entertaining theatre.

Especially striking in her performance is Susan Cremin as Vivie, Mrs Warren's

daughter, a young woman who seems to know who she is and accepting of that. A

graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Miss Cremin promises to be an actress of

stature with the clarity of her speaking skills and the characterization of

her roles.

The role of Mrs Warren is a difficult one to balance. Albeit Caitlin Clarke is

another product of the Yale School of Drama, this critic found her verbal

manner too exaggerated; it was somewhat reminiscent of someone parodying a

class of English person. She is quite good in the role, but (personally)

over-bearing in that aspect.

All the male roles were quite well done, with Frank, as portrayed by Douglas

Weston, a perfect love interest match for Vivie.

Commendations to costume designer Jeanne DuPont; lighting designer Matthew

Frey; and set designer Klara Zieglerova.

As always, the program for the play is superb! Credit for its consistent

excellence goes to Martha Bowden, press and publications director. It is

always interesting, well presented in the graphics formatting and photography.

Shaw emphatically stated, " Mrs Warren's Profession was (and is) a play for

women, that it was written for women, that it has been performed and produced

mainly through the determination of women... the enthusiasm of women made its

first performance excitingly successful, and not one of these women had any

inducement to support it except their own belief in the timeliness and the

power of the lesson(s) the play teaches."

Like his character Vivie, G.B.S. held his high ideals, and vehemently

declared, "I am not dependent on the theatre, and cannot be starved into

making my plays a standing advertisement of the attractive side of Mrs

Warren's business."

The production of Mrs Warren's Profession continues on the stage at Yale Rep,

at Chapel and York Streets in New Haven, through February 3. Tickets are

available at the box office; telephone 432-1234.