Moya O'Connell and Mary Haney dominated the stage as Vivie and Mrs Warren, even though the rest of the cast were all excellent.
It is hard to portray Vivie without making her appear an insufferable prig, but Moya O'Connell managed to give her the humanity needed to make her sympathetic. You know that even after she firmly rejects her mother and refuses never to see her again, she is already regretting have taken such a firm position. Moya's Vivie is charming and full of ideas. She has firm opinions on everything and no hesitation in voicing them - so much like her mother in that respect. Mary Haney gave us a vulgar Mrs Warren - I think in keeping with Shaw's idea of the character. She can't pass in poilte society, except on the dodgy edges inhabited by types like Crofts, superbly played by Benedict Campbell.
But the relationship between the two women was tense, even when they were being happy with each other. Vivie is naive to think her mother has given up the life; her mother is naive to think Vivie won't care and will happily assume her duties as a daughter.
Nice performance again.
ReplyDeleteI always have trouble with this play: I am really pro-Vivie in the first act, but have trouble understanding her change when she finds out her mother is still in The Life.
I have a fantasy that mother and daughter eventually get together for an annual dinner and develop a real, if somewhat distant, friendship.