Mrs Marvin – The Butterfly Club (VIC)

Created and performed by Emma Algeri.

Nostalgic pep-talk with a taste of drag and elder pride are masterfully merged in this wonderful one-hour show, Mrs Marvin

Reviewed by Rachael Vassallo
The Butterfly Club, Melbourne
Until 15th February, 2025
Tickets: https://thebutterflyclub.com/show/mrs-marvin

Type: One-Woman Show, Satirical, Cabaret
If you liked: Bad Education, Chalkface

Wisdom comes with age, and so does stigma. Stories of older women concealing experience and achievement on their CVs to appear younger to employers is quite common. Contemporary society holds two dichotomous standards simultaneously: ageism and respect for the elderly. The older we get, the more mysterious we become, near incapable of sin, our mistakes are hidden from public view. Emma Algeri has challenged our perceptions of ageing with Mrs Marvin, a satirical cabaret comedy challenging respect, getting old and grief.

Algeri is a brilliant improviser, her ability to incorporate the audience and stage mishaps into a standup routine, whilst making it seem part of the script is unparalleled. Improvised cabaret comedy is a challenging feat, and Mrs Marvin delivers a treat. I would love to see this performance with a different audience to see its evolution.

In some school systems, we see our school principals as a feared, almost elusive force, incapable of error. Someone that we need to show the utmost respect to. Whilst some spend their breaks on cruises drinking cocktails, they are humans doing a job just like anyone else, the worst have qualifications that are unimpressive and their lives mundane according to Algeri. What Mrs Marvin does exceptionally well, is humanise the school principal as flawed, somewhat as imperfect a leader as themselves.

The nostalgic notes throughout this piece are brilliant

What I most enjoyed about this performance is how it depicted displaced aggression. Many children experienced such injustice, a teacher losing their cool over a minor infraction for no apparent reason. Vivid memories of schooldays filled with trauma seem more sensical as the jigsaw of our ageing is placed together and adult frustrations are understood. What might seem an incident in passing to an adult is often a watershed memory for a child. Marvin explores her own childhood trauma, injecting it into her teaching and leadership practice.

What Algeri does best is discuss grief and loss. Much of the stimuli focuses on Mrs Marvin’s relationship with her deceased husband and subsequent lovers. Marvin fondly discusses the simple joys of their relationship, joys many of us see ourselves or with our relatives. Mrs Marvin gives a comforting tribute to their lives lived, which might seem insignificant in the globe, but meaningful within their community.

Mrs Marvin is also a humorous work that deals with sexual humour in a brilliant manner. Algeri also explores dating as an older widow, reminding viewers age is not a barrier to choice and sexual freedom. The funniest song sneaks sexual innuendo with innocent joy. It is a fantastically joyous moment in the performance. Algeri is full of talents, with tap dancing completing this number. Ironic humour is cleverly intertwined, with Mrs Marvin not being the clarinet maestro advertised, rather, we hear a couple of short numbers right out of year seven band practice. The nostalgic notes throughout this piece are brilliant.

Theatre Thought: What memories from your youth do you look back on differently in adulthood?