Mrs Warren's Profession

Mrs Warren's Profession description

Mrs Warren's Profession tells the story of Vivie Warren, a thoroughly modern young woman who has just graduated from Cambridge with an honours degree in maths. When she comes home and starts to get to know her mother for the first time, she's shocked to find her mum is an ex-prostitute who still runs a highly successful brothel. What a story!

It's hard to believe this classic play was written in the early 1900s. The themes remain relevant, and women in some countries are still repressed. This new production brings George Bernard Shaw's controversial play back to theatreland with a bang, on stage at the West End's Garrick Theatre.

The story of Mrs Warren's profession

Frequently staged across the world since 1902 when it enjoyed its premiere, this play was once banned for its criticism of hypocritical Victorian society and the way it mistreated women. The Lord Chamberlain, the nation's official theatre censor, disliked it because of its frank discussion about prostitution, but the show was finally staged in early January 1902 at the capital's New Lyric Club. It proved so popular it has seldom been off the stage somewhere in the world ever since.

The brilliant Imelda Staunton (The Crown, Hello, Dolly!, Follies) takes the role of the older woman while her daughter Vivie is played by the actor's real-life daughter Bessie Carter, who delighted us in TV's popular costume drama series Bridgerton. Written by George Bernard Shaw, this time around the classic is directed by Dominic Cooke with design by Chloe Lamford and casting by Amy Ball.

Playing at Garrick Theatre (venue info)