The notoriety of the Mitford sisters continues unbounded, the myths and anecdotes surrounding their extraordinary lives continually swirling in the ether. But trying to pin them down into one succinct play seemed a Herculean feat. Cue Amy Rosenthal, whose compelling, touching and witty new play The Party Girls explores the true story of a family riven by political extremism.
Seen through the eyes of Jessica (Decca) Mitford, their epic saga through pre-war high society, Fascism and political storms pans out with pathos, wit and humour, neither shying away from the truth or succumbing to saccharine misconceptions.
‘The Party Girls explores the true story of a family riven by political extremism’
Coming to Oxford Playhouse from September 30 – October 4, Emma Noakes who trained at Oxford School of Drama in Woodstock, takes on the pivotal role of Jessica, battling to stay true to her beliefs, and distance herself from the Fascist views of her sisters Diana and Unity.
“The Party Girls is very much an ensemble piece seen through a political lens,” Emma says. “Their lives pan out like a soap opera. They were the celebrities of their time, tBright Young Things and always in the papers. When Jessica eloped, a naval destroyer was sent to find her! But they all held fast to their own beliefs and didn’t shift at all. Jessica was just as ardent as the rest. But The Party Girls is about how their political affairs tore them apart and fractured their relationship.
“But Jessica is the protagonist, and the play takes you through her extraordinary life, and journey to find out who she is, as she reinvents herself as her own person in America.
When Jessica eloped a naval destroyer was sent to find her!
“it’s very easy to write off the Mitfords as Nazis and fascists, but it’s much more complex than that. It’s not just about goodies and baddies. Yes, some of the Mitford sisters were fascists (Diana Mitford married famous UK fascist leader Oswald Mosley, and Unity was a personal friend of Hitler) and had abhorrent views, but they were still sisters and all so uniquely themselves.
“They were unapologetic and whatever they did they did whole-heartedly. They were such strong women. They were like the Kardashians of their day, so glamorous, beautiful and eccentric.
‘it’s very easy to write off the Mitfords as Nazis and fascists, but it’s much more complex than that. It’s not just about goodies and baddies’
Moving around the eras with alacrity, Emma says: “the spine of The Party Girls is Jessica’s journey outside of being a Mitford and all that means. She challenges the status quo but she is also the everyman that the audience can relate to.”
To get in the zone, the cast went to look round Asthall Manor near Burford, where the Mitfords grew up. “There was so much space to run around in,” Emma says “and the girls had few boundaries and that brought a certain wildness to them. But it also tore them apart, especially when Diana joined Mosley, and Jessica eloped. Her parents never got over the scandal.”
‘The Party Girls really has something to say – because there are no simple answers to complex questions, and that’s something we are learning today’
So how did Emma get into the role? “I did a lot of research and then tried to put myself into Jessica’s shoes, because she was such an extraordinary person. She arrived everywhere front-footed knowing her objective. She was a trail-blazer and a muck-raker.
“So yes an intimidating part and it’s a great responsibility to do Jessica justice because she had such an incredible life, and did incredible things. She wanted to do an awful lot of good,” Emma says.
“Plus, it’s the best script I’ve read for a long time – The Party Girls really has something to say – because there are no simple answers to complex questions, and that’s something we’re learning today. We all have people in our lives whose views or political standpoints we don’t agree with, and it’s about how we manage that.”
As the hype around The Party Girls gathers, Emma adds: “It’s really exciting, because the Mitfords were just an extraordinary family, as well as being complex and damaging. So think love story, political drama and family saga all rolled into one, with lots to take away from it.”
The Party Girls runs at Oxford Playhouse from August 30-October 4. Book here: https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-party-girls
