Ms Chamberlain. Holden Street Theatres. 2 Mar 2016
Anne Chamberlain of New Zealand found in Eglantyne Jebb of Shropshire a soulmate and fellow traveller. And Jebb lead a life so inspiring as to prompt Chamberlain to research and write this one-person biographical play. You may not have heard of Eglantyne but you are likely familiar with her legacy - Save The Children. Those three words have made the difference between comfort and misery, even life and death, since Jebb and her sister, Dorothy Buxton, founded the charity in 1919 to support the children of Europe in the aftermath of World War I and the Spanish Flu.
Playwright and performer Anne Chamberlain takes us back to Anne's beginnings and pioneering presence in Oxford, where she realised a well lived life is a life of action and not words. Anne poignantly portrays the parallels in their lives - in relationships lost and perseverance. Jebb strives for meaning in her life and finds it in the children she never had. We share with Eglantyne and Dorothy their fundraising triumph at Albert Hall and their push for funds and awareness, up to and beyond Eglantyne's authorship of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
In a big life, there is a lot of ground to cover. Chamberlain's script is chockers with accurate historical information and while key emotional moments are noted, they could benefit from additional dramatic illustration. The whole thing is rather straightforward. Nonetheless, the roles of herself and the sisters are vividly portrayed. I imagine now that I saw Eglantyne and Dorothy discussing some aspect of boosting the fund, yet there was only one performer. The show's main objective was achieved - Eglantyne is now forever mapped on my consciousness, and I better get my wallet out because a good life is a life in action.
PS A proportion of the show's proceeds will be donated to Save The Children.
David Grybowski
When: 1 to 6 Mar
Where: Holden Street Theatres
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
