Last night, the WHS Theatre Department presented its first production of The Madwoman of Chaillot, a drama by French playwright Jean Giraudoux and adapted by Maurice Valency.
Set in 1940s Paris, France, the story centers around a group of misfit heroes referred to as the Mad Women. When faced with the threat of losing their beloved neighborhood to corporate greed, the Mad Women band together to prevent businessmen from destroying the city in search of oil.
While the play places great emphasis on the pitfalls of capitalism, it remains a relevant work due to its commentary on other issues our society currently faces. “[The show] says a lot about community, art and women,” said Director Daniel Devlin. “It’s also so incredibly relevant to today with its take on environmental issues. It’s what we see happening around us: the constant challenge between people who want to take everything and people who want to conserve and save.”
Despite its serious undertones, the cast and crew believe that the audience will still enjoy its more
lighthearted aspects. Senior Charlotte Cotroneo, who plays Mademoiselle Gabrielle, said, “It is a comedy at heart, even though it has some serious topics. Overall, it’s very satirical. My favorite part about playing my role is that it adds levity to the play. It’s a very wacky character and I dive into that and have fun with it.”
Senior Nadia Rego, assuming the main role of mad woman Countess Aurelia, said that she takes pride in her character’s expressiveness and authenticity. “To embody her is to seize the opportunity to let go of my inhibitions and just have fun,” she said. “[Aurelia] encourages me to practice authenticity in my everyday life.”
In addition to the masterful quips and dramatic scenes delivered by the cast, the work of the crew has stood out, from the impressive set to the well suited wardrobes. “For sound crew we put in a lot of work,” said senior Katie Purse, head of sound. “Hours go into programming the sound effects.”
Stage Manager Emma Darrow also spoke to the crew’s hard work. “A lot of the crews don’t have an adult advisor, so they’re doing this all on their own as students, which is something I admire,” she said.
Don’t miss your chance to view The Madwoman of Chaillot in the auditorium this weekend. Tickets for the Nov. 22 and 23 shows at 7:30 P.M. are being sold for $14 and can be purchased at wpsvpa.booktix.com.