PARTNERSHIP
by Elizabeth Baker
Directed by Jackson Gay
A Production of the Mint Theatre
Theatre Row
Reviewed by David Spencer
Partnership by British dramatist Elizabeth Baker (1876-1962) is the latest in what the Mint Theatre’s three-production “project” celebrating her work. As some of you know, the Mint is dedicated to the rediscovery of unjustly neglected or forgotten works and dramatists. Viewed as part of an oeuvre, a link in a career overview, it is certainly of interest. But on its own terms, Partnership (1917) comes by its post-era obscurity legitimately; watchable, hardly transcendent of its era.
Set in the seaside city of Brighton, it’s mostly a romantic comedy (without many laughs) about Kate Rolling (Sara Haider) a female women’s-wear shop owner who gets a compelling offer from George Pillatt (Gene Gillette) a rising, ambitious mogul in the same business; a mostly humorless, middle-aged man who has just acquired the competing shop next door and wants to merge it with Kate’s. He makes an offer to her which—reflecting the socialization of the times—includes a strictly business marriage. The terms of the contract (we are led to believe) are more than fair and otherwise treat her as if she were an equal male partner. And she promises to sign it. But almost immediately thereafter, she meets the utterly charming and clearly smitten Lawrence Fawcett (Joshua Echebiri), to whom she responds helplessly, even as she tries to keep her emotions in check and…well, you know…
The direction (Jackson Gay) and production put one in mind of very decent summer stock, the actors’ stylings commensurately falling in line with that: it’s all professional, competent, pleasant enough and utterly unnecessary. This is one you attend, if you do, to support the production company and its mission, which is noble enough. Of interest as a document, lest we lose sight of how life, in particular for an independent working woman in that strata of that era’s society…but as a play with the juice of latter-day relevance…not so much.