Matinee Meet-Up: Imelda Staunton in NT Live's "Mrs. Warren's Profession"

Imelda Staunton (The Crown, Follies) performs with her daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the first time, reuniting with director Dominic Cooke.  Image: National Theatre of Great Britain/NT Live

Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of the old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost?

Filmed live in London, this new production reunites Staunton with director Dominic Cooke (Follies, Good), exploring the clash between morality and independence, traditions and progress.

Mrs. Warren's Profession is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. It is one of the three plays Shaw published as Plays Unpleasant in 1898, alongside The Philanderer and Widowers' Houses. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving daughter. It is a problem play, offering social commentary to illustrate the idea that the act of prostitution was not caused by moral failure but by economic necessity. Elements of the play were borrowed from Shaw's 1882 novel Cashel Byron's Profession, about a man who becomes a boxer due to limited employment opportunities. (Wikipedia)

NT Live films theatre on Britain’s most exciting stages then screens it in thousands of cinemas around the globe. Their productions have been seen by an audience of over 12 million people since the project began in 2010.

Tickets ($22.18) for reserved seating are purchased directly from the venue by clicking here and selecting the Wednesday, October 29, 1400 (2 p.m.) performance. 

While an RSVP is not required to attend, it is helpful for us in planning pre- or post-performance discussions.    

Getting there: The Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosaic is approximately 14 miles from downtown D.C., a typical 30-minute drive in non-rush hour traffic.  Free parking at any Mosaic garage is available for up to five hours. Nearest Metrorail: Dunn Loring-Merrifield (Orange Line) then a .8 mile/15-minute walk, or short Uber/Lyft ride, to the cinemas.