Mother's Day
by J.B. Priestley
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This one-act comedy satirises the taken-for-granted status of the mother in a middle-class London family. Mrs Annie Pearson slaves for her selfish, thoughtless husband George and grown children Doris and Cyril, who order her about and never help. Her neighbour, the bold fortune-teller Mrs Fitzgerald, persuades her to assert herself, and through a magic spell learnt in the East the two women exchange bodies. In Mrs Pearson's body, the dominating Mrs Fitzgerald shocks the family by smoking, drinking stout, playing cards, refusing to cook, and coolly telling each of them the truth, even revealing that the club members mock George as 'Pompy-ompy Pearson'. The stunned family is brought to heel. The women then change back, and Mrs Fitzgerald warns Mrs Pearson to keep a firm hand and never apologise. The play ends with the reformed family eagerly offering to help while Mrs Pearson plans a nice game of rummy.
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The play is a light-hearted but pointed comment on how a devoted mother and wife is exploited and unappreciated by her own family, and how a little firmness can restore her rightful respect and authority in the home.
The doormat mother
Mrs Pearson runs after her husband and grown children all day, taking their orders like a servant, staying at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves. Her forthright neighbour Mrs Fitzgerald urges her to put her foot down and be mistress of her own house, but the timid Mrs Pearson feels she cannot begin and hates any unpleasantness.
The magic exchange
Mrs Fitzgerald offers to sort out the family, but as Mrs Pearson. Through a spell learnt in the East ('Arshtatta dum, arshtatta lam…') the two women exchange personalities and bodies. Now the strong Mrs Fitzgerald inhabits Mrs Pearson's body, and sets about teaching the family a lesson while the real Mrs Pearson, alarmed, goes next door to wait.
The family gets a shock
Doris and Cyril are astonished to find their mother smoking, playing cards, refusing to iron and cook, and speaking sharply. When George arrives, 'Mrs Pearson' drinks stout, mocks his selfishness, and tells him the club members secretly laugh at him and call him 'Pompy-ompy Pearson', which Cyril reluctantly confirms. Doris is reduced to tears and George is bewildered; the whole family is thrown into confusion.
Change back and a firm hand
The real Mrs Pearson, unable to bear her family's misery, hurries in and begs to change back. The two women reverse the spell. Mrs Fitzgerald warns her not to apologise or explain, that would undo everything, and to keep a firm hand, giving a look or a tone now and again to suggest she can be tough. The chastened family now eagerly offers to stay in and help, and Mrs Pearson happily proposes a family game of rummy followed by the children getting supper ready.