We went to the Oxford Playhouse to watch this energetic performance, which follows the five Mitford sisters.
The sisters face family relationship strains through pre-war high society, due to their differing political beliefs. As fascism rose and debates around Communism intensified, the bonds of sisterhood were threatened by strong opposing convictions. Amy Rosenthal’s play explored the true story of a family riven by political extremism, seen through the eyes of Jessica (Decca) Mitford as she battled to stay true to her Communist beliefs, whilst moving further and further from the values of her once-beloved sisters, such as Unity, who believed in Nazism. Overall, the story explored themes of betrayal, romance and loyalty, making it an exciting watch.
Although this play covered historical political themes, it still resonated with today’s audience, particularly as antisemitism is prominent in the press at the moment. The play was cleverly written with shifts in its time period and location which were supported by carefully designed costumes with character-specific colour profiles to create continuity, making them recognisable despite the change in age. Alongside this, the enthralling set, lighting and sound design supported the action on stage with multiple locations and atmospheric tones, enhancing the impactful themes. The performers portrayed these shifts in time with impressive versatility, convincingly depicting each character at different ages as the decades unfolded throughout the play.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening creating thought provoking discussion about both the themes of the play and the huge talent of the cast and crew.
