Sidney Howard died at the age of 48 when he was crushed to death by a tractor. Prior to that he penned more than 29 plays and 13 screenplays, including that for Gone With The Wind for which he won a posthumous Academy Award. Apart from The Silver Cord, which achieved successful, profitable runs on Broadway and in London in 1927, his plays include the Pulitzer Prize winning They Knew What They Wanted, later adapted into a musical as The Most Happy Fella. Hollywood filmed The Silver Cord in 1933 with Irene Dunn and Joel McCrea.
As I am sure you know, the title The Silver Cord comes from the Bible (Ecclesiastes): “Remember him, before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken… and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it“.
Howard was supposedly influenced by Freud in his writing of this play and at the time many compared it favourably with Strindberg’s The Father. It was hailed by contemporary critics as being “extremely powerful and singularly painful” tackling the “complex and tragic subject” of “maternal tyranny”. Howard insisted that all five characters were drawn from his observation of human nature, the play being described as an “alive and moving depiction of a rivalry which is not infrequently found to exist between a mother and her daughter-in-law for the man equally dear to both“.
In Joe Harmston’s powerful production at Finborough Theatre, Sophie Ward is the embodiment of Mrs Phelps, David and Robert’s mother, pathologically close to both her sons, working to undermine their romances from the very start when newly married David (George Watkins) and Christina (Alix Dunmore) come to visit, even to the extent of putting them in separate bedrooms.
Ward is absolutely superb as mother, producing a calmness and smooth, even, treacle-like voice that doesn’t take us, the audience, in for a minute, but which always works on her offspring – my colleague said that she immediately recognised aspects of her own (Italian) mother-in-law in this character, as did I, not only in my mother-in-law but also in my maternal grandmother who as a small child I remember never had any time for my father, considering that my mother had married beneath her – plus ca change! The role of Mrs Phelps is huge but is very engrossing to watch and listen to – and react to, as one can hear the audience continually drawing breath with shock or laughter at what she does and says.
Christina is the only one of the other four people in the play who even attempts to stand up to Mrs Phelps, and Alix Dunmore is totally believable in this role, especially in building to the final scene where the playwright gives her an impassioned monologue, of which she makes the very most. In fact, the director subtly builds the tension continually from the moment the play starts, right up to the very end, which is moving and ultimately unexpected.
The other three roles are also exceedingly well played. David, the elder son and an architect, spends the time trying to build bridges and mend fences and obviously failing! George Watkins is impressive, not only in height but also in the way he mentally gradually loses control as the play progresses, even if the voice is slightly over-projected for this venue. Dario Coates portrays the younger son Robert, who is engaged to Hester, as slightly effeminate, and, during the course of the play, we wonder about his motives for wanting to get married. Jemma Carlton portrays Hester as feisty, deeply in love with Robert and failing to understand his relationship with his mother.
Alex Marker has designed a lavish in-the-round set, which actually makes the Finborough seem larger than usual and Carla Joy Evans has produced some stylish costumes, even if some were in need of an iron!
So what of the play itself? I have no hesitation in saying that this is one of the Finborough’s real discoveries! Why it has lain unperformed in London since 1927 is in one sense a mystery, but on the other understandable, because it is beautifully written, well-structured, totally engrossing, shocking, amusing, giving all five actors great roles to portray. In other words, a “well-made play” – the sort that Coward, Rattigan et al wrote and which have fallen out of fashion. Many contemporary American playwrights could do far worse than analyse this play before starting to write one of their own!
It is the sort of play that provides much food for thought and discussion afterwards – these are real people we have just experienced in real situations: many of us have been there ourselves! Perhaps it is a bit “too close to home”. Yes, it is a bit dated and a tad melodramatic, but The Silver Cord is the best play and the best production that I have seen this year.
Review by John Groves
Cast: Jemma Carlton, Dario Coates, Alix Dunmore, Sophie Ward, George Watkins
Directed by Joe Harmston
Set Design by Alex Marker
Lighting by Mike Robertson
Costume Design by Carla Joy Evans
Sound by Amanda Priestley
Presented by Andrew Maunder in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre
THE SILVER CORD
Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED
3 to 28 September 2024
Excellent review of an excellent play. The 5 stars are very well earned. Mrs Phelps was superbly played and at times, I wanted to shake her for being so odious, malevolent and controlling. Full credit to the other actors as well, who all contributed to a marvellous performance and a wonderful evening’s entertainment. My advice: Book a ticket and go and see this superb piece of theatre for yourself. It is better than a lot of the nonsense that is on in the West End at the moment and you won’t have to pay eye-watering prices for your ticket !!