Mrs. Warren's Profession tells the story of Kitty Warren, a mother who makes a terrible sacrifice for her daughter Vivie's independence. But when Vivie learns the truth, will she forgive her mother or condemn her?
What Is the Story of Mrs. Warren’s Profession?
The central question in Mrs. Warren’s Profession is just what her profession is and how it affects the life of her daughter, Vivie—especially once Vivie learns the truth. Vivie, who barely knows her mother, Kitty, is a Cambridge-educated, independent, young woman. When Kitty waltzes back into her life, Vivie finds out that the money that has afforded her the life of a respectable woman has not come from a respectable business. The profits have given her every advantage in life, but Vivie doesn’t know if she can forgive her mother for the choices she’s made, or if two women brought up so differently can ever really get along with one another, even though they are family.
"Hawkins ("Happy-Go-Lucky") makes a feisty, strong-willed Vivie -- a woman so rigid, upright and unyielding it's as though she could crack at any moment. "
The New York Daily News
Joe Dziemianowicz
"Cherry Jones…makes a full meal of a role for which she is perfectly suited. "
Time Out New York
David Cote
"The production stars Cherry Jones as the imperishable Mrs. Kitty Warren, a character whose flashing intelligence and flamboyant manner make her a perfect match-up for this remarkable actress."
Variety
Marilyn Stasio
"[Cherry] Jones and [Sally] Hawkins have fleshed out these paper tigers and made them roar. And [Doug] Hughes has turned a 100-year-old play relevant."
Associated Press
Mark Kennedy
"George Bernard Shaw's infamous play on the subject of female prostitution may be 117 years old, but its ideas still feel decidedly modern in director Doug Hughes' largely crackling production for Roundabout Theatre Company. Cherry Jones returns to the New York stage in the title role and proves once again why she is one of our finest actors."
Backstage
Erik Haagensen