Mrs Warren's Profession (1974)
Directed by John B Anderson
Performances: Sun 3rd – Sat 9th March 1974, Theatre
Contents
Introduction
Text about the play
Cast
- Mrs Warren - Ann Mattey
- Vivie - Sally Davis
- Praed - Ken A Tozer
- Crofts - Arthur Skinner
- Frank - Jeremy Browne
- Gardner - John B Anderson
Crew
- Stage Director - Malcolm Saunders
- Stage Manager - John Kennedy
- Assistant Stage Managers - Bill Bibby, Bernie Bullbrook, Jackie Cameron, George McGillivray, Dennis Packham & Tony Radsusky
- Design - Jimmy Morgan
- Lighting Design - Colin Stokes
- Sound - Malcolm Woodman
- Properties - Christine Wilson
- Ladies Hair - Sheila Saxon
- Costumes - Bermans & Nathans
- Costume Supervision - Rita Toothill
- Wrought Iron Furniture - The Grove Tavern, Dulwich
- Console - Sara Saunders
- Prompt - Irene Winbourne
- Photographs - Bim Harding
- Box Office Manager & F.O.H. - Frank Howcutt
Reviews
"Streets where they lived"
...nevertheless two amateur productions have come my way in a month. The South London Theatre Centre's is directed by John B Anderson (who also plays the rector), and adopts a make-believe approach in keeping with the quaint prettiness of its outdoor setting.
"Mrs Warren's Profession" is not an easy play to produce. Shaw's stagecraft was far from fully developed. Many of the entrances and exits are clumsily contrived, and we seem to peep into a little self-contained world in which only six people actually exist.
However, it is important that these six people should be seen to interact with one another. This, basically, is what does not happen at the SLTC.
Sally Davis speaks with great authority, yet her Vivvie comes out far more priggish than she probably intended. Her: "My 'no' is final" is about the most toffee-nosed utterance I have heard lately.
Her big scenes with Ann Mattey as her mother, Mrs Warren, are conducted without any real involvement.
Arthur Skinner begins well as Sir George Crofts, coarsely sneering as the part demands; but soon he spoils the effects by ponderous over-emphasis. John B. Anderson plays the rector, Gardner, with becoming tetchiness.
For my money, Jeremy Browne's Frank is easily the best performance of the evening. Playful and bantering, using levity for what one suspects to be a vulnerable personality, he bends over backwards to involve himself at all times with those to whom he is speaking.
Donald Madgwick, The Croydon Advertiser.
Gallery
- Photos by B.I.M. Harding
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.
See Also
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Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.
