Intimate Apparel at Donmar Warehouse Review
Samira Wiley in Intimate Apparel at Donmar Warehouse. Photo by Helen Murray
Written by Sarah for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
When writer Lynn Nottage was sorting through her mother's belongings after she died, she came across a photograph of her grandmother who had emigrated from Barbados in the late 1800’s and become a seamstress. The image was simply labelled “Unidentified Negro Seamstress ca. 1905”. Having little inherited knowledge of her grandmother, Nottage proceeded to excavate, whittle and conjure a portrait of her ancestor; this was the beginning of Intimate Apparel, the story of Esther Mills.
New York, 1905. Esther (Samira Wiley) is a highly skilled and sought-after seamstress specialising in ladies' corsetry. Her customers range from wealthy ladies of leisure to working ladies of the night, with whom she has developed a strong rapport as a confidant and friend. Although Esther sewed to survive as a 17-year-old immigrant, she is dedicated and passionate about her craft, “It was just about the best gift anybody gave me. It was as though God kissed my hands when I first pulled the fabric through the sewing machine and held up a finished garment”. Working relentlessly in her lodging room has left her little time for anything else, but at 35, Esther has an unmet longing for love.
When a mystery letter arrives from a potential suitor named George (Kadiff Kirwan), a labourer working on the Panama Canal, the correspondence develops into a fantasy romance and George moves to America to Marry Esther. As the true character of her mystery pen-pal-made husband is revealed, her world and hopes begin to unravel.
Samira Wiley as Esther is luminous and utterly captivating. She is vulnerable, sweet, hardy and ferocious within a few lines and has a chameleon-like quality, coveted by any actor. There is a magical synthesis of writer and actor that fleshes out “unidentified negro seamstress” into a fully-fibrous woman one can’t help but love and root for. Such is the investment in the character, involuntary gasps and groans can be heard from the audience as her husband begins to degenerate.
Kadiff Kirwan plays George with the perfect balance of charm and deplorability demanded of the role. As the mask begins to slip, he becomes unpredictable and generates a tangible foreboding of what this man could be capable of. This dichotomy creates empathy for Esther’s need to be loved and commitment to marriage, despite being treated abhorrently. Kirwan’s performance could put him at risk of getting hate mail.
The other male in Esther’s life is her fabric dealer, Mr Marks, played by Alex Walkmann. He is a sweet, nervy Jewish man who shares a passion for exquisite craftsmanship and fine fabrics. The subtext speaks volumes in these scenes and highlights director Lynette Linton’s skill in trepanning for the truth in these interactions. If time and Mr Mark's cultural background had been different, this would have made a much happier union.
The other women in the play all have close relationships with Esther. Nicola Hughes as Mrs. Dickson, the landlady, is maternal, poised, stately and slightly cheeky. Claudia Jolly as Mrs. Van Buren, a wealthy client and bored housewife, has the energy of an excited teenage girl and confesses to Esther to be her closest and only friend. Faith Omole as Mayme, the sex worker, is playful, glamorous, complex and generates a character worthy of their own play. All of the characters are fully developed and realised by the actors who work together in symphony, with Linton as conductor.
Esther’s descriptions and passion for fine fabrics and craftsmanship are infectious, as the garments she toils over are woven with love. The Corsets that Esther produces are resplendent, in fine, wedge wood blues and pinks with white lace and beading and once fitted, the women are transformed. The colours in the overall design are somewhat muted, which gives the vibrant garments centre stage. Nottage deliberately sets all the scenes in a bedroom, so the presence of a bed immediately creates intimacy and adds more layers to the dynamics between the characters.
At the end of the play, Esther is defiant as she wrestles with the hard edge of hope. The sepia photograph has been illuminated with colour, and the unknown woman becomes very much known and loved. The play feels like a raising of spirit, a tribute and reclamation. On many levels, this production is infused with metaphors; all elements are woven together with precision and care. The fabric, thread and craftsmanship are one of a kind, and the experience leaves an imprint that lingers longer than the running time. This is a legacy.
Intimate Apparel plays at Donmar Warehouse until 9 August.
★★★★★
