Of Human Servitude is a great play by Vern Thiessen, based on the novel by W.Somerset.Maugham. I saw this play on May 10, 2014 at the Young Center for the Performing Arts at the Marilyn and Charles Bailie Theater. It was a small theater with three levels. It includes a lower level, the main level and the balconies. There were some very uncomfortable seats that were very close to the row below and above us, although it had a very mellow and relaxing ambiance. The audience was mostly older people and middle-aged men and women. The people sitting behind me were very rude, constantly making obnoxious comments about the room and kicking the seat every ten minutes. The jokes were mostly aimed at an older audience, but I understood them too. Vern Thiessen, a Canadian playwright, based the play on the book written by W.Somerset.Maugham in 1915 and on the film made in 1935 also by W.Somerset.Maugham. Vern was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, studied at the University of Winnipeg and then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. He then went to the University of Alberta where he received his Master of Fine Arts. He is the past president of the Playwrights Guild of Canada and the Playwrights Guild of Alberta. Of Human Bondage is about a young medical student/artist named Philip Carey who lives in England. He has a club foot and faces a daily battle with people who constantly judge him. He wanders into a teahouse while trying to help his friend play with the teahouse girl. He seems to show no interest in the girl and is actually quite rude to her, often talking about the German guy she was flirting with. Until his friend left after thinking that Philip had ruined all his chances. Once they have some time alone, Philip turns on the charm and gets straight to the middle of paper...... Norah was so smart and just wanted what was best for Philip. She generally spoke softly but laughed very loudly. She often made highly visible facial features when people spoke to her using hand gestures and other body movements. In my opinion the most effective character was Mildred because she had the most impact on the story and especially Philip. She literally reoriented his life several times and he was so in love with her that he couldn't do anything about it. She had to die so he could move on. I don't think there was a least effective character because the cast was so small that everyone was important. Even a boy in the opening scene that had about 6 lines was incredibly effective; The saying "it's all in the way a man behaves" stuck with him throughout the play, especially because the little boy also had a club foot so Philip could relate to him..