By D. A. Blackburn
When the lights come up on the BoarsHead Theater's season opener Sept. 7, sparks are sure to fly.
George Bernard Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession," first staged in 1902, remains as relevant and relatable today as when it premiered. The oft revived work is a striking tale about the dynamics of mother and daughter relationships, a sharp criticism of social classes and a cleverly crafted work – even for a playwright whose name seems synonymous with quick wit and brilliant dialogue.
At its core, "Mrs. Warren's Profession" is the story of two strong-willed women, Vivie, a Cambridge-educated girl struggling for independence, and her mother, Kitty, a maven of high society who earned her fortune as a prostitute and madam. Vivie having grown up with every privilege, is scandalized to discover the truth about the mother she's hardly known. Along the way, Shaw exposes the hypocrisy of Europe's elite, and chronicles the Victorian movement for female liberation.
Though this briefest of synopsis ensures a hot-tempered comedic romp, it's in the BoarsHead's casting that the work really heats up. Acclaimed stage and screen star Paula Prentiss ("Where the Boys Are," "The Stepford Wives," "Catch-22") and her daughter Prentiss Benjamin star opposite each other for the first time, bringing a touch of reality to Shaw's contemptuous mother and daughter duo.
"Jim (Glossman, director) has worked with both of us, and worked with this project in the back of his mind and I believe he always intended to bring us together in this show," said Prentiss Benjamin.
The mutual BoarsHead debut affords the pair a unique opportunity, says Paula Prentiss. "It's quite wonderful, and certainly unpredictable. It's a chance to explore a relationship that may be there, but would only come out under these circumstances."
Together, they'll join Gary Houston, Jack Moran, Paul Murphy and Lansing regular Ken Beachler under the direction of Glossman, a BoarsHead veteran who's received broad praise for his work on the stage, screen and as an educator. He currently serves as the associate director of the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, and has earned the respect of both Prentiss and Benjamin for his approach to Shaw.
"James does good justice to Shaw in his direction. With the beauty of the language, and the brilliance of the language, that each actor gets to pretend is their own, you have to have very close direction, and that's exactly what he gives," said Paula Prentiss.
Like all of Shaw's plays, "Mrs. Warren's Profession" is built around substantial characters, developed with eloquent and smart dialogue. It is a trait that can be disarming to audiences, but has long made his works a favorite of performers.
It's here that Benjamin sees Glossman's attention to detail as the greatest asset. "Jim understands human nature and, yes, the language is clever, but he gets to what's really underneath. These are real people, real characters, and he is able to cut through the language to the human aspects and make it a very relatable story."
With such endorsements, "Mrs. Warren's Profession" should be a treat for all who attend–mothers and daughters, prostitutes and prudes and everyone in between.
PREVIEW:
'Mrs. Warren's Profession'
BoarsHead Theater, 425 S. Grand, Lansing. Previews Sept. 5-6; runs Wed.-Sun., Sept. 7-30. Tickets: $12-$25. For information: 517-484-7805 or http://www.boarshead.org
