Social Satire and Scandal in The Women at Chester Street
The barbs come fast and furious in Clare Booth Luce’s bitchy, biting, social satire The Women, on stage at Theatre on Chester, Epping, NSW from November 8, 2013.
A smash hit when first performed on Broadway in 1936, playing 657 performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, it is probably best known thanks to the 1939 classic/cult movie of the same name.
The play is set in the world of high society Manhattan, in a time when women’s lives revolved around their efforts to look beautiful to obtain and hold on to wealthy husbands.
Mary Haines is the perfect wife. She has it all: beauty, poise, brains, a generous rich husband, a lovely young daughter, and a circle of worldly, wealthy, wise-cracking friends. But a few of those friends can’t wait to gleefully shatter Mary’s blissful innocence when they discover that the beloved Mr. Stephen Haines is having an affair with gold-digging shop girl Crystal Allen. Mary is devastated, her pride crumbling, her marriage at the brink. From that moment forward infidelity, divorce, and shattered confidence touch the lives of almost all of the members of Mary’s sisterhood.
Director Joy Sweeney (pictured with Ros Bilby (l), who plays Mrs Morehead, Mary's mother) explains the challenges in making this production fresh for both movie fans and new theatre-goers.
“This production was always going to be difficult and movie comparisons would be inevitable. To help create a new approach I have moved the setting of the play to the 1950’s. Written by Judith Booth Luce in 1936, the play is an acerbic commentary on the pampered lives and power struggles of various Manhattan socialites and up-and-comers and the gossip that propels and damages their relationships. All these issues still apply in the 1950s, a time when, after contributing so hugely to society in WWII, women once again returned to house duties and their lives again centred on the most important person in that house, their husbands.
“With 12 scene changes The Women is certainly technically ‘interesting’. Scenery is minimal, however I have tried to simplify the look of the piece with set and costumes matching to hopefully make a very visual and stylised production.
“One of the biggest challenges with The Women was in the casting. I wanted the acting to be heightened and some auditionees found that style tricky. Fortunately I was able to cast 14 extraordinary actresses, 8 of whom double or triple roles throughout the play, changing accents and costumes throughout.
“The Women has over 55 costumes including day wear, gym wear, beauty salon wear, western wear, formal wear and many, many hats! Along with that come 25 wigs.
“The Women is funny, witty, clever, sophisticated, glamorous and a wonderful insight into the way women related to each other in times gone by. Thankfully times have changed – or have they? “
The Women
November 8 – 30, 2013
The Theatre on Chester, Chester Street Epping
www.theatreonchester.com.au / 98770081
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