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★★★★
The premiere of Amy Rosenthal’s new play ‘The Party Girls’ signifies a milestone in the Marlowe Theatre’s history, marking the venue’s first time producing a touring production. Based on the life of the Mitford sisters, who were part of high society in England in the years surrounding WWII and known for their extreme political views, this new piece of writing is told from the perspective of devoted communist Jessica ‘Decca’ Mitford, who leaves her privileged family life for Spain and the USA. Directed by Richard Beecham, the play is set between the early 1930s and 1969, drawing attention to the rise of fascist beliefs in the family, and the toll this took on the central character. I was fortunate enough to attend the press night on Wednesday and found the material to be deeply relevant to modern day audiences, highlighting the dangers of extreme political ideology.
Storytelling
The decision to focus on Jessica (Emma Noakes), is what makes this play so intriguing. The character is headstrong and never afraid to challenge Unity (Ell Potter) and Diana (Elisabeth Dermot Walsh), but at the same time the siblings are ever-present in her subconscious. The narrative transitions between various memories, including Jessica’s budding friendship with Bob Treuhaft in Washington, D.C. (1940s), discourse at Swinbrook House (1930s) and a reunion at Nancy Mitford’s home in France (1960s). Designer Simon Kenny illustrates these time jumps with moving sets that transport audiences through the eras. Leaping backwards and forwards was always going to bring complexity, but projecting the years and locations onto the stage is a welcome addition. I also firmly believe that the decision to not tell this story chronologically is fundamental to Jessica’s development, revealing key details about why she had to leave.
That being said, for all of the creativity in the writing, I wasn’t convinced by the order of the final scenes. Without giving too much away, returning to a young Jessica and Bob at the end is somewhat puzzling, after the weight of the Mitford sisters reunion scene. Moments of happiness shine through in this ending and it is appreciated after the harrowing themes covered, but I don’t believe it has the same level of impact as the interactions between the sisters.
Character dynamics
For all of the intense disagreements between the siblings, there is plenty of humour, which hits home the point that they are family, despite their overwhelming differences. This certainly doesn’t extend to Jessica and Diana Mitford however, who are divided by their differing views. From Diana’s very first interest in Nazism to their estrangement, Emma Noakes and Elisabeth Dermot Walsh convincingly highlight the complexities in this fractured relationship. A clear example is how Diana tries to bond over their role as grandmothers during the supposed reunion, but holocaust denial makes reconnection unimaginable.
Topical and thought-provoking
Despite my thoughts on the conclusion, ‘The Party Girls’ is a really commendable debut touring production from the Marlowe. It is remarkable how the cast and creative team have been able to take audiences back in time to the war period and silently encourage reflection to the present day. The play is at the venue until Saturday 6th September, before heading on tour to five locations across the UK: Coventry, Malvern, Eastbourne, Oxford and Birmingham. Last minute tickets to the Canterbury performances can be purchased via the venue’s website.
*My ticket for ‘The Party Girls’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
Unfortunately I did not feel that the play’s structure worked nor that the script reflected satisfactorily the background of the characters (crucial to an understanding of the trajectory of their lives) and the development of the relationships between them.