|
Speed-The-Plow | Perth Theatre Company |
|
|
|
Written by Simonne Michelle-Wells
|
|
Monday, 21 July 2008 |
 (l-r) Luke Hewitt & Steve Turner. Photo - Jon Green
The Perth Theatre Company has a winner on their hands with their latest production,
Speed-The-Plow, if the opening night was anything to go by. This David Mamet
play, written in 1988 and directed by Mel Cantwell, is a
satire about the morals and values of Tinseltown and the sacrifice of pure art
for commercialism; a theme that Mamet would later revisit in two films, Wag the
Dog and State and Main.
In the
opening scenes, two mid-level Hollywood
producers, Bobby Gould (Steve Turner) and Charlie Fox (Luke Hewitt) are alive
with a shadiness and verbose energy that would befit any of the great
Restoration comedies. Gould is sitting in his new office in his newly appointed
position as head of production when Fox bounces in with more nervous energy than
a Disney character on speed. Fox has stumbled across the chance of a lifetime
when the latest A-list actor agrees to star in a script Fox sent him. With his
mate Gould now in the driving seat it’s practically a done deal. What ensues is
an extremely well-paced double-act of frenzied excitement packed with
big-noting and brown-nosing between Gould and Fox.
Turner and
Hewitt do a wonderful job with Mamet’s notoriously mannered dialogue. There are
only a few places where believability is sacrificed for performance and
some of the sense is lost. Hewitt is a powerhouse to behold. His portrayal of
the strung-out Charlie Fox is an absolute delight. In many ways this character
carries the pace of the play and Hewitt’s timing is impeccable. His
incredulousness as Gould asks him, “Have you read that book?” and Fox replies,
“I read the cover – what do you want from me – blood?” is as colorable as it is
funny.
Steve Turner and Gemma Northover (as Karen, Gould’s
secretary) are wonderful together in a scene in which Karen’s enraptured belief
in a book she believes should be made into a film must produce a dionysiac-like
change of heart in Gould. Northover’s performance ensures that we believe this and
that in some way we believe that, despite her willingness to exchange sex for
the chance to be a part of something she believes in, her integrity is still
intact. Northover has an almost Uma Thurman like quality in her manner and
she’s a pleasure to watch.
Gould, the only character to undergo any significant
catharsis, is given a surprising amount of depth by Turner (although he plays
slick and sleazy exceptionally well), and Hewitt steals the show in the closing scene of the play, in which he
must fight to win back his man.
Although
Mamet’s script has lost some of its edge, being 20 years old, the subject is
still a modern obsession, perhaps more so. It’s the interplay between the sexes
that one smiles at, especially having seen the recent Black Swan production,
Female of the Species. Lines like “(you’re just) a tight pussy wrapped around
ambition” (wonderfully delivered by Hewitt) may not hold the sway they would
have in the 80s, but are incredibly indicative of that era.
Claude
Marcos’ set design deserves a mention. It’s wonderful. It’s extremely clever
and gives a sense that you’re actually watching a film. An unfinished new
office is transformed into a lavish and warm Hollywood
exec’s living room, replete with open fire and a brick wall seemingly appearing
out of nowhere, in a matter of seconds. Such is the joy of the theatre when it’s
in the hands of clever and innovative technicians like Marcos, Cantwell and Andrew Lake
(lighting design). Cantwell has done a wonderful job with the pacing of this
dialogue-rich play. Often in plays such as this, the audience can feel too
removed from the action and the characters, but Cantwell has managed to avoid
this and the whole production works extremely well.
Go and see
Speed-The-Plow; it’s a shining example of Perth
talent.
Perth Theatre Company presents
Speed-The-Plow
By David Mamet
Venue: Playhouse Theatre, 3 Pier St, Perth
Dates: Saturday 19 July – 2 August
Times: Tuesday – Saturday @ 7.30pm, Mondays @ 6.30pm
Matinees: Saturday 26 July & 2 August @ 2.15pm
Tickets: Stan: $46.50/Conc $37.50/Groups: 6+ ppl $40
Bookings: BOCS Ticketing 9434 1133 www.bocticketing.com.au
 Quote this review on your site | E-mail
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.4 |
