Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: San Francisco

Mrs. Warren's Profession, Piaf: Love Conquers All and Cowardly Things


A Bold Production Of Mrs. Warren's Profession

California Shakespeare Company is presenting an admirable production of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren Profession through August 1 at their amphitheatre in Orinda. Shaw wrote this play in 1893 but it was not produced for 30 years because its subject matter, prostitution, was regarded as unfit for the Victorian audience. The two hour and 20 minute comedy is a perfect melodrama from the Victorian era. Director Timothy Near has directed a robust production of the Irish playwright's work with a great cast of Bay Area actors.

Mrs. Warren's Profession's plot line is uncomplicated yet very compelling. Mrs. Warren (Stacy Ross), who has run away from a life of miserable poverty, has become a very successful madame who runs brothels in several European cities. She has kept her distance from her daughter Vivie (Anna Bullard) except for infrequent brief meetings, but has given her the best education that is available for women of that period. Vivie has become a self-determining, strong-minded Shavian new woman who has excelled at Cambridge.

Vivie wants to go into the business, but before she enters this world, she wants to know the truth about her mystifying, wealthy mother. Where did all the money come from she wants to know. There are wonderful poignant confrontations between the two throughout the drama. The final war of words in the second act is a brilliant piece of heartrending acting. Also in this comedy-drama is a comic vicar, the Reverend Samuel Gardner (Rod Gnapp), his insolent son Frank (Richard Thieriot) and a pompous baronet Sir George Crofts (Andy Murray) who lives with Mrs. Warren and of course is happy with the earnings from those houses of prostitution. Added to this mix of comical characters is a very English friend of the Madame, Mr. Praed (Dan Hiatt). The very droll man drops in and out of the comedy and so we must assume he is a friendly neighbor of Mrs. Warren.

Director Timothy Near has added some touches of her own to this comedy of manners, such as the opening scene in which both Stacy Ross and Anna Bullard come out onto the stage with a dresser. The dresser straps a red whalebone corset around the waist of Ms. Ross and then dresses her as a rich proper Victorian lady. On the other hand, the daughter casts off her oppressive undergarments forever declaring herself to be a free and independent woman. The director has also included musical interludes such as Victorian musical treatments of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Stacy Ross is commendable as Mrs. Warren. At times she is truly fierce, such as when Mrs. Warren is dealing with her daughter; one can see she loves her daughter very much. Ross plays the role as a combination of Katharine Hepburn and Anne Bancroft. Anna Bullard is a wonder as Vivie, completely disappearing into the complex character. Vivie becomes every bit as fierce as her mother in the second act.

Rod Knapp is a comic delight playing the hungover guilt-ridden vicar in one scene. He has the British accent down pat. Richard Thieriot is nicely suave as the spineless dandy son Frank. The attempted seduction scene with Mrs. Warren is beautifully accomplished. Andy Murray is perfect as the sinister Sir George, the epitome of a pompous British gentleman. Dan Hiatt is delightful as the lover of art, music and poetry of the group who pops in and out telling the group of the beauty of romantic art.

Set Designer Erik Flatmo has designed a very strange backdrop for this production. It consists of giant psychedelic roses that distract from the mood of the play. Meg Neville has designed wonderful Victorian outfits for both women and men. Sound and lighting designers Jeff Mockus and York Kennedy are great assets to this production.

Timothy Near has created a pleasing and earthy sense of intimacy for an outdoor stage with a very well cast group of excellent actors. Shaw's dialogue is marvelously fluent, done exceptional well by this cast.

Mrs. Warren's Profession plays through August 1 at the California Shakespeare Theatre, Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Way, Orinda. For tickets call 510-548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org.


A Stunning Production of Piaf: Love Conquers All

Naomi Emmerson has brought the legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf to life in her dramatic one-woman show, Piaf: Love Conquers All, playing at the Eureka Theatre through August 7th. This is one classy show for anyone who loves or appreciates the "little sparrow" like I do. Actually, even if you don't know the work of this amazing French singer, you will find Naomi Emmerson a remarkable performer.

I first saw Edith Piaf in 1951 at the Olympia Theatre in Paris and I immediately became one of her devoted fans. I saw her again when she played in London and it was an unforgettable theatrical experience. Naomi Emmerson captures the essence of this extraordinary singer. She sings 13 of Piaf's greatest songs, including "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien," "C'est L'Amour", "La Vie En Rose" and "Hymne, a L'Amour." This talented singer becomes Piaf as she talks about her life, from a teenaged street singer to an international sensation. She tells of her addictions to morphine, alcohol and men, among them boxer Marcel Cerdan and actor Yves Montand.

The Canadian-born actress sings the songs with passion and honesty, and she capably handles the demanding material. In the second act she hits the emotional heights of Piaf's addiction to morphine. It is a tour de force of poignant acting. This is truly a hypnotic performance. Wonderfully backing her up on the piano is Alan Choy.

Piaf: Love Conquers All plays at the Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco through August 7th. For tickets call 1-800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com.


A Fun Production of Cowardly Things

The New Conservatory Theatre Center presents a fun production of Cindy Goldfield and Scrumbly Koldewyn's Cowardly Things, a reflection and inspiration of all things Noel Coward. Scrumbly Koldewyn is a founding member of Cockettes and the producer and music director of the long-extended revival run of The Cockettes' Pearls Over Shanghai currently at the Thrillpeddlers' Hypnodrome here in San Francisco. That musical had a notorious and infamous run at the New York Anderson Theatre in 1971. Cindy Goldfield a two-time recipient of both the Bay Area Critic Circle and Dean Goodman Choice awards and has been entertaining Bay Area audiences for many years. The two met when the couple was performing in the New Conservatory Theatre Center production of The Texas Chainsaw Manicurist in 1994. They decided to work on a revue that would feature mostly Noel Coward songs; it premiered at the old Plush Room several years later to good reviews.

I have seen several revues of Coward's songs over the years, including the famous Oh Coward! in Los Angeles. Recently, the Center Repertory Theatre of Walnut Creek did a marvelous production of the revue called A Marvelous Party. The "master" is one of my favorite composers of both romantic and droll songs. There has never been a genius like him and I doubt if there ever will be again. He is the epitome of sophistication.

Cindy Goldfield and Scrumbly Koldewyn provide an entertaining two-hour revue consisting of the songs Coward and a few others. Thrown in for good measure are some great Cole Porter songs ("Si Vous Aimez Les Poitrines," "You Don't Know Paree" and "Let's Do It"), songs from Sandy Wilson's The Boyfriend and Hugh Martin and Timothy Grey's High Spirits, and the smoky song "Marahuana" by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow, sung bewitchingly by Cindy Goldfield.

Cindy and Scrumbly take turns singing such wonderful songs as "Come the Wild, Wild Weather" which opens and closes the revue. Scrumbly is very droll singing "I've Been to a Marvelous Party," "A Bar on the Piccola Marina" and the little known "There's Always Something Fishy About the French."

Cindy Goldfield is outstanding singing "A Room with a View," "Parisian Pierrot" and Sandy Wilson's "A Room in Bloomsbury." She is hilarious singing Worton Murphy and Worton David's "Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy," during which she lightly hit my hands with a roller pin. The two harmoniously sing the campy "Green Carnation" which is a tribute to Oscar Wilde. The first act concludes with "Why Must the Show Go On?"

In the second act, the delightful duo comes out in top hat and tails to do the typical British music hall songs that Coward wrote over the years, including the infatuating "Chase Me Charlie," "Has Anybody Seen Our Ship," "What Ho Mrs. Brisket," "Bronxville Darby and Joan" and "Men About Town." They are first rate singing "Mad Dogs and Englishman" and "Our Mother Doesn't Know We're On the Stage" (Billy Bennett's "My Mother Doesn't Know I'm On the Stage") and the transcendent "Mad About the Boy."

Scrumbly is outstanding at the piano and has a captivating cabaret voice. He has spotless comic timing and his amusing manner is perfect for Coward's songs. Cindy is entrancing singing both the comic and romantic songs of the master. Michael Phillis as director has perfectly paced the 95-minute show, putting in humor and some schmaltz into the face-paced revue.

Cowardly Things plays through July 31 at the intimate theatre in the New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness at Market, San Francisco. For tickets please call 415-861-8972 or visit www.nctcsf.org. Divalicious a Theatrical Cabaret with Leanne Borghesi is coming to the small theatre on August 4 and runs through August 22nd.


Cheers - and be sure to Check the lineup of great shows this season in the San Francisco area

- Richard Connema