Morality, money in ‘Major Barbara’

One might think a donation for the poor is always a good thing. But not if you ask
Major Barbara, who quits her post at the Salvation Army as soon as it accepts donations from breweries and arms dealers.

Questions of morality and religion rise up in the IU Department of Theater and Drama’s production of “Major Barbara,” which opened Friday.

Salvation Army Major Barbara Undershaft and her weapons-manufacturing father Andrew Undershaft are both determined to convert the other to the “true” religion. For Barbara, that means Christian salvation; for her father, it means money and gunpowder.

Then there’s Barbara’s fiancé, Adolphus Cusins, a Greek scholar and a collector of religions, who’s keeping a few secrets of his own. Add in a family conflict about the Undershaft inheritance, and here is a play about money and morality, but also much more.

The ’60s setting of the show gives new direction to the George Bernard Shaw play. Barbara’s sister Sarah and her dimwitted fiancé Charles Lomax are now a hip, mod couple, and the “vulgar, silly dress” Barbara dons in place of her Salvation Army Uniform is bright yellow, complete with miniskirt and go-go boots. Music from the ’60s fills the air during scene transitions, and Andrew’s newly produced weapons look suspiciously nuclear.

Sophomore Arthur Marsh said he enjoyed philosophic discussion in the play, especially in the last scene.

“I thought it was pretty brilliant,” Marsh said. “I really enjoyed the dialogue.”

The actors impressed sophomore Will Dickinson, who said he did not expect to enjoy the play so much.

“Clever, witty, it’s hilarious,” Dickinson said. “It’s extremely well-acted, especially the actor who plays Andrew Undershaft, the father, Justin Harner. He’s magnificent.”

The director and grad student Sabrina Lloyd said she was proud of her cast and crew and the work they did opening night.

“I thought they did a great job, the pace was lovely and they were really listening to the audience,” Lloyd said. “I’m just proud and impressed with all the amazing people that helped it happened. I’m really grateful.”