The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse at Nottingham Playhouse – review

Mary Whitehouse is quite the enigma. Presenting with the disarming charm of a little old lady, she pulls no punches as she marches forth on her moral crusades against sex, swearing and violence. Her typewriter mightier than “moral decline”, she took on television, theatre and the press. However well-meant her intentions may have been, the solutions she sought had drastic results, creating a cultural war that divided the nation. But for Mary, it was a spiritual war that needed to be fought for salvation.

Co-commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse, Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Kate Pakenham Productions and directed by Sarah Frankcom, The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse focuses on the titular character’s blasphemy trial against Gay News. Playwright Caroline Bird beautifully presents a balanced biography in this world premiere. She gives us a glimpse of what motivated Whitehouse to begin her battle and relentlessly campaign for what she feels is right. Things that are so black and white and logical through the lens of her Christian beliefs, yet once explored, scratch the surface and the lens becomes a confusing kaleidoscope of colour that must be censored.

In The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse, we are taken on a journey through Mary’s life. Wearing a peach polo neck and pearls, she preaches to us, sermon-like, recounting her various heroic endeavours, determined to save the sanctity of the nation. Whitehouse is anti-abortion, anti-contraception, anti-divorce, and anti-feminist, but at the same time, she campaigns against the rise of paedophilia and pornography. She is unable to appreciate context and impact. She believed in a very traditional Christian lifestyle with its morals and values, and felt this is how the country ought to be run. She insisted “The Web” was a direct threat on the family. We witness her various appearances at events and interactions with individuals; all the while, Bird deftly weaves in the devastating effects her campaigns have had on individuals and marginalised groups.

This would have made for quite a stilted show if it were not for the moments when we were taken back to Mary as a youth. Bird’s attempt to humanise Whitehouse, but not excuse her, gives us insight into the events which shaped and haunt her. Her relationship with her parents, her pre-marital relationship and her encounter with the Christian group, which eventually led her to believe in and conduct “spiritual conversion” for gay people, all feature. Having exorcised herself of her past desire for another kind of “sin”, she was convinced she could cure others. Engaging in a daily form of deprogramming, she becomes so desensitised that she is unable to connect to her feelings.

The piece is presented as a two-hander. Maxine Peake is outstanding as the many different ages of Whitehouse. Every poised step, brow furrow and mouth twitch are mesmerising. She expertly transforms before us on stage, as she steps into each embodiment of Mary. Peake brings a humanity and humility to the character in moments when it completely contradicts what we are witnessing. Her nuanced speech and faultless performance are a joy to watch. Samuel Barnett plays 14 other characters, including a Roman centurion, Margaret Thatcher and Jesus Christ. Some characters are played for a moment, but Bennet completely captures their essence and emotion, making each a fully realised person who has been affected by Whitehouse. There are moments of such utter poignancy from his stellar performance and his interactions with Peake that I became lost in the scene. Both breathe life into this sharp, clever, funny and relevant piece. There is a huge amount of humour, expertly peppered throughout the play. In moments when it is quite dark or heavy, the laughs sweep in to lift the mood.

The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-crafted and superbly performed piece of theatre. Whitehouse’s fortitude to push forth her faith at the detriment of others is movingly explored by Bird. The impact of her behaviours and the relevance of such beliefs and actions today make this an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking new play.