Mrs Warren's Profession Review

Mrs Warren’s Profession, one of George Bernard Shaw’s less frequently staged plays, is currently running at the Garrick Theatre and in many ways it could not feel more timely. The story interrogates long standing assumptions around femininity, social respectability, and the economics of sex work. Written in 1893 and once banned for its provocative content, Shaw’s play still resonates, yet this production, for all its intelligence and polish, never quite delivers the impact it promises.

Real life mother and daughter Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter star as Mrs Kitty Warren and her daughter Vivie, a dynamic that lends authenticity to their fractured onstage relationship. Vivie, fiercely self possessed and intellectually driven, is determined to live independently of the murky financial empire her mother has built. As the truth about Mrs Warren’s profession emerges, it drives a sharp wedge between them.

Staunton is typically commanding, bringing steel and fragility in equal measure to Mrs Warren, while Carter offers a compelling portrait of a woman grappling with principle over sentiment. Their shared scenes simmer with emotional tension, and while the confrontations do erupt, it is a mild eruption, controlled and tempered, never quite spiralling into the raw volatility the material seems to invite. The supporting cast handle Shaw’s dialogue with assurance, though few leave a lasting impression. Alongside them orbit Frank Gardner (Reuben Joseph), the charming but feckless suitor, his bumbling father Reverend Samuel Gardner (Kevin Doyle), the predatory Sir George Crofts (Robert Glenister), and the idealistic Mr Praed (Sid Sagar), each representing a different facet of the society Vivie is attempting to navigate and resist.

Visually, the production is richly conceived. Chloe Lamford’s set begins as a lush garden, gradually dismantled by silent women in petticoats, a ghostly metaphor for the erosion of innocence and illusion. By the final act, it becomes a stark grey office lowered from above, drained of warmth and intimacy. Dominic Cooke’s direction is composed and visually precise, but often too reserved. Scenes that should ignite with emotional volatility remain carefully measured. The result is a production that looks beautiful but seldom bristles with the raw energy the material demands.

What ultimately holds the production back is its reluctance to confront the fire at the heart of the play. Despite its modern relevance, especially in an era when platforms like OnlyFans are reframing sex work as empowerment rather than scandal, this version plays it safe. There is little sense of real danger or moral unease, and moments that could provoke discomfort are softened into civility. Nowhere is this more evident than in the pivotal scene where Vivie rejects her mother, a moment that should devastate, yet here feels oddly restrained, as though the production is wary of emotional messiness. Perhaps audiences no longer need this kind of polite framing. Perhaps Shaw’s play, once banned for its provocation, now demands a staging that is less reverent and more radical. As it stands, the revival is elegant and well judged, but lacking in urgency. The performances are admirable, the design striking, but the overall experience feels too contained. Rather than stirring discomfort or debate, it settles into politeness. Mrs Warren’s Profession deserves a production that dares to be more confrontational. This one gestures toward it but never quite gets there.

Mrs Warren's Profession is playing at the Garrick Theatre until 16th August 2025

Tickets available at https://thegarricktheatre.co.uk/tickets/mrs-warrens-profession/