Admissions is a scorching satire that holds a mirror up to privilege and power through the lens of the education system. It is both deliberately provocative and caustically funny as it takes a subversive side-swipe at hypocritical good intentions.

Sherri Rosen-Mason is head of admissions at an exclusive Prep school in New England; her husband Bill is the principal. They are passionately committed to increasing the number of students at the school from culturally and linguistically varied backgrounds, and they’re starting to see results. But when their only son sets his sights on an Ivy League university, personal ambition collides with progressive values, with powerful results. A no-holds-barred look at privilege, power, and the perils of hypocrisy. Admissions is a biting comedy that asks audiences to question just how far they are willing to go to see the change they want in the world.

Walking into the cosy Brighton Theatre Company I didn’t know what to expect from this play.  What I got was a drama full of high octane public issues and real things that affect us in the world today.  The show centres around Sherri Rosen-Mason (played by Monica Greenwood) who works at her son’s school and she’s trying to promote racial diversity into the school by using photographs of all different types of students in their catalogue including children of colour.  Monica Greenwood plays the role with huge passion and never loses her fight and grit that the character needs as she is a strong and often very stubborn woman who doesn’t let anyone change her mind about what she wants.  She barely leaves the stage for the entire show and never falters.

As Bill Mason, Marc Jongebloed plays the upper class father with gusto and again gives off the feeling of stubbornness in his portrayal.  I particularly liked the way he brought sarcasm to the role as well and created a protective yet frustrated quality to the character.  

Ginnie Peters as Regina Miller was one of the highlights for me, the character of Regina was very much about creating awareness for ignorance shown by Sherri and the way she portrayed the anger and frustration was evident in her performance, there were some particularly poignant scenes featuring the character and I definitely felt every word she spoke particularly when she was talking about the turmoil her son had been through dealing with racism.

As the assistant to Sherri, Carol Shelbourn plays the role of Roberta Russert with fragility and vulnerability as she desperately tries to please Sherri.  Each time she enters she becomes more and more confident in her job and by the end of the show she becomes relieved when Sherri finally praises her.  

Finally my favourite member of the cast had to be Sam Wyles in the role of Charlie Luther Mason.  In particular one huge scene where he gives a monologue about his frustration with modern society and his confusion is extremely impressive, his delivery is sharp and aggressive and even in his physicality I could feel how hurt and confused he was.  Throughout the show his anger at his parents increases and his performance only gets better.  

Director Deborah Fabbro has put together a highly slick and professional production which also included a very cleverly designed set the folded in and out from the school office to the inside of the home.  This was a simple yet effective use of the small space.