Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Nottingham Playhouse open their Autumn season with an intriguing new play based on the life of Mary Whitehouse.
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| Photo by Helen Murray |
Caroline Bird's play delves into the enigma of Mary Whitehouse, looking into her life and the choices she made along the way. It questions what she merely a prude or was she in fact more dangerous than that. Whilst this might not sound like a comedy, there's is plenty of laughs sprinkled throughout.
Set in the dynamic 1970s, this production shines a light on an unsuspecting figure who wielded extraordinary influence from the comfort of her garden. With just a typewriter by her side, this seemingly harmless grandmother took on the BBC, the written press and challenged what she perceived as the UK’s moral decline. Her battle against the ‘godless media’ sparked a culture war that dared to divide the nation.
Playwright Caroline Bird takes us deep into one of Whitehouse's most controversial fights: her notorious blasphemy trial against Gay News. This moment puts her seemingly sweet demeanour to the test, revealing the unexpected power hiding behind her innocent smile. The play not only provokes thoughts on freedom and censorship but also provides a heartfelt look at a woman's unwavering determination to confront societal tides.
Maxine Peake breathes life into this outrageous character, bringing depth and humour to Whitehouse's story. It really is special to watch Peake shine in this role. She does a magnificent job of bringing the role to life. Peake and the creative team have clearly worked hard on both accent and the poise of the role and that is conveyed with real skill. For the first half hour or so the tone of her delivery does feel very Victoria Wood, she does things with a knowing smile but this does bring some great laughs. She sparkles when delivering gold lines such as “the gays were not expecting that!” when she turns up for the trail against Gay News' blasphemous poem. There's a tonal shift when we see Peake de-wigged and switched to a more youthful look as we delve into Whitehouse's younger self and see where it all began for her.
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| Photo by Helen Murray |
Samuel Barnett adds to the brilliance in performance, stepping into over 15 diverse roles—from her mother to a Roman centurion, and Jesus. The biggest reaction comes to his Margaret Thatcher which is met which a chorus of boos from the audience. Barnett demonstrating a remarkable range switching from roles within seconds. Barnett flourish in both his comedic skill and showing great pathos.
Sarah Frankcom's production is cleverly staged as a two hander, this does add for a lighter tone to the production. The work of the stage team is brilliant and it's great to see them on the stage, resetting between scenes or changing the wigs and costumes on the stage.
At times the piece does feel like it is hammering home the same message and I left feeling unsure what we were meant to be feeling as the curtain fell. It's a tremendously insightful piece with some clever writing and outstanding performances. Whatever your thoughts on Mary Whitehouse before or after seeing this play it's the performances and the delivery that will stay with you. Her shadow still casts over the modern world, for the better or the worst.
The Last Stand of Mrs. Mary Whitehouse plays at Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 27th September 2025. Tickets are available from https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/the-last-stand-of-mrs-mary-whitehouse/
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| Photo by Helen Murray |
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