A witty, quite acerbic commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various wealthy Manhattan socialites, Clare Boothe Luce’s comedy of manners, THE WOMEN, has just opened at the New Theatre.
This piece was written in 1936 and presents an extremely conservative view of women’s lives and loves. It remains, however, very funny in parts, and still has relevance for today.
This production has a large cast of eighteen. It is a biting tour de force of stinging zippy one-liners and delicious scandal and gossip. The play features a few deliciously outspoken and bold characters that are wonderful to play. For its time it was exceptional for its large, all-female cast and privileged insiders glimpse into a rather hidden world.
Director Deborah Jones governs the production with a light, sure touch and the cast attack the text with vigor and relish.
Viewers might be familiar with the 1939 George Cukor film. It is the elegant, rich socialite ladies who lunch who make the basis of this particular world. (Cue Sondheim, perhaps).
The play’s themes include the role of children in relationships, marriage as a means of social advancement for women, and scandalously controversial topics for the times such as divorce and adultery are examined by Luce with honesty and wit. The action takes place in the bedrooms, beauty salons, haute couture fashion house model rooms and parlours of the very rich.
In THE WOMEN, characters are generally seen as Madonnas or Whores, and all of them are defined against unseen men who wield control over their finances, emotions and destinies in a now rather quite old fashioned and perhaps somewhat disappointing portrayal of womanhood which is obviously of its period yet it is true that social equality remains a traumatic struggle.
Mary Haines (Helen Stuart) has dutifully been living in what she considers a happy marriage for over a decade. But all that changes when her friend Sylvia (Jess Loudon) reveals that Mary’s husband has been having an affair with Crystal (Eleanor Ryan), a shop girl. Mary is urged by her friends to go to Reno for a quickie divorce.
Mary, our main leading lady, is depicted by Helen Stuart as a rather noble, somewhat naïve, romantic person. We empathise with her grace and heartbreak. Jade Potts as Little Mary the daughter is tremendous too.
The main planner and proposer of the scheme is tall, elegant, feline Sylvia, played with great relish by Jess Loudon: exquisitely groomed and listening with wicked glee for the latest juicy whisper of scandal. Played with great impact we also see the hidden insecurities underneath the glamorous surface.
Emma Louise bitingly portrays the apparently constantly pregnant Edith, almost stealing the show with her smoking, drinking and constant eating.
Eleanor Ryan is terrific as Crystal Allen, the sultry mistress and would be wife of Stephen Haines. Crystal is presented as hard sometimes vulgar femme fatale who is coldly exploitative.
Joy Miller as Flora, the Countess de Lage, wittily described as “somewhere between forty and death’’, in style a somewhat over the top Annie Oakley kind of character, had enormous fun. Whilst superficially exuberant, brash and loud she hides a secret loneliness.
Lauren Orrell as young, thin Peggy Day also gave a fine, inspired performance. Nancy, a progressive feminist author, is played by Alexandra Plim, wearing elegant trouser suits. She plays a character who doesn’t mince words.
Mention must also be made of the various manicurists, maids and attendants in the cast
The set design– elegant art deco like in style with lovely clean lines, mostly in gold and white – is terrific and much use is made of the revolve. There are quite a few stunning outfits and many costume changes throughout. This play is fascinating in regards to the fashion angle.
This is a terrific revival of this now possibly somewhat camp comedy of manners that can lead to lots of discussion about women and society then and now.
Running time 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
THE WOMEN by Clare Boothe Luce is playing at the New Theatre until the 12th September, 2015.
Cast: Heidi Baleisis, Melissa Burgess, Kailey Higgins, Celia Kelly, Jordan Keyes-Liley, Susan M Kennedy, Jess Loudon, Emma Louise, Joy Miller, Nell Nakkan, Lauren Orrell, Alexandra Plim, Jade Potts, Eleanor Ryan, Annie Schofield, Helen Stuart , Vola Vandere, Sandy Velini
Creatives: Deborah Jones, Set Design: John Cervenka Lighting Design: Heidi Brosnan Sound Design: Stuart Wright.