National Theatre Live: Mrs. Warren's Profession

Yesterday I went to a screening of the National Theatre Live production of Mrs. Warren's Profession which was filmed earlier this year from the Garrick Theatre in London's West End and presented by the Tanner Humanities Center and Salt Lake Film Society.  I had never seen George Bernard Shaw's scandalous play before (it was written in 1893 but not performed publicly until 1925 due to censorship) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Vivie Warren (Bessie Carter), a modern young woman who has recently graduated from university, reunites with her long absent mother Kitty (Imelda Staunton) after spending much of her life boarding with others.  Mrs. Warren arranges for Vivie to meet her friend Mr. Praed (Sid Sagar) and her business partner Sir George Crofts (Robert Glenister) as possible suitors but Vivie prefers her ne'er-do-well neighbor Frank Gardner (Reuben Joseph).  His father the Rev. Samuel Gardner (Kevin Doyle) objects to his relationship with Vivie because Mrs. Warren is not socially acceptable so she asks her mother why.  Mrs. Warren finally reveals that her childhood of poverty compelled her to work as a prostitute because she felt that it was a better way of achieving independence than the life of drudgery to which she was doomed by her class and gender.  Vivie is shocked but comes to respect her mother for her determination to succeed.  However, she is horrified when Sir George tells her that he and her mother own several brothels and that she now works as a madam.  This leads to an epic confrontation in which Vivie rejects her mother, and her money, to take an office job in the city and Mrs. Warren responds by saying that her profession is what provided Vivie with an education and choices that she never had.  I really enjoyed the thought-provoking narrative because, at various times, I found both characters to be guilty of, and victims of, hypocrisy.  Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter are outstanding and, because they are mother and daughter in real-life, their interactions have an added poignancy.  I was especially impressed by the scene in which Vivie accuses her mother of exploiting women and Mrs. Warren accuses her daughter of ingratitude because it is incredibly emotional and crackles with energy.  The only drawback is that, with such powerful performances from the women, the men are often overshadowed.  I loved the minimal set which begins as a beautiful garden filled with flowers and ends up as a stark gray office because this represents the journey from illusion to truth.  I also loved the inclusion of a large female ensemble, who are dressed as prostitutes and gradually remove all of the set pieces and props until the stage is bare, because it symbolizes the way such women are used.  This was another great production by NT Live and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see it.  Upcoming screenings at the Broadway include The Fifth Step on February 21, Hamlet on March 21, and Life of Pi on April 11.