NEW YORK—In Frank Marcus’s entertaining The Killing of Sister George, now in a revival by TACT (The Actors Company Theatre), the person “killed” is actually a character in a BBC radio soap opera.
Sister George, a bike-riding nurse in a small Brit village, played by June Buckridge (Caitlin O'Connell), may soon meet a sad end, June fears. Her appearances have not been as frequent as in the past, and that’s usually a clear sign that the character’s presence may soon be dispensed with.
June, a rather tough, rough, cigar-smoking lesbian, takes to drink, and further takes out her anxiety on her flatmate, her very antithesis, Childie (Margot White), so nicknamed for her ultra-feminine, delicate manner.
Childie appears to take the abuse in stride, as she flits about the flat arranging and playing with the large assortment of dolls who decorate the place. (Set designer Narelle Sissons, who also designed the excellent costumes, has done a terrific job of selecting and placing the dolls).
The pair is occasionally visited by the friendly, orange-haired psychic, Madame Xenia (Dana Smith-Croll), who lives downstairs. But a more potent visitor makes an appointment to visit June at her flat. This is Mrs. Mercy Croft (Cynthia Harris), a bureaucrat from the BBC. June rises to the occasion by putting on her version of an upper-class matron entertaining someone on her own level, while Childie is properly servile and serves tea.
The purpose of Mrs. Croft’s visit appears innocuous, at least at first. But in a later visit, she hones in for the kill. June’s instincts were right. Sister George is to meet her demise—death by lorry, she is informed.
(The actual reason for BBC’s action is not made clear. Is it June’s drinking? Is it that she is too outspoken? Have the show’s ratings dropped? Perhaps the reason is immaterial, in the play’s context.)
To make matters worse, Mrs. Croft offers June a role in another soap, but it’s to play not a human being, but an animal. The humiliation is crushing. Furthermore, sensing that her once-powerful flatmate is a passenger in a sinking ship, and having received unexpected encouragement from Mrs. Croft, it seems that Childie may desert her present circumstances.
Under director Drew Barr’s stewardship, the actresses offer a varied quartet of female types, attitudes, and ambitions. Caitlin O'Connell skillfully runs the gamut from arrogance to almost servile vulnerability; Margot White is appealing in her sweetness and desire to please, enhanced by her personal attractiveness. Cynthia Harris’s Mrs. Croft blends sincerity with subtle hypocrisy; Dana Smith-Croll offers a staunch Madame Xenia: she could be from any country on the planet.
The play connects on several levels. Almost everyone has experienced the possibility of a loss of an important job, so one can empathize with June. Then there are the elements of power plays, relationships between different types of women.
The play connects on several levels. Almost everyone has experienced the possibility of a loss of an important job, so one can empathize with June. Then there are the elements of power plays and varied relationships between different types of women.
Back in 1965, when the play was first produced on London’s West End, it became a hit, running for 18 months and winning several Best Play awards. It later enjoyed a successful run on Broadway and was made into a well-received film. Many feel that the play readily speaks to contemporary audiences, hence TACT’s decision to revive it.
‘The Killing of Sister George’
The Beckett Theatre
410 W. 42nd St.
Running Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Tickets: 212-279-4200
Closes: Nov. 1
Diana Barth publishes New Millennium, an arts publication. For information: [email protected]
