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Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews “Steel
Magnolias” Like You’ve Never Seen
It Before
Any theatre group mounting a production of Robert Harling's immortal play Steel Magnolias is faced with a daunting challenge. It is arguably the one play that is most overshadowed by its film version. You'd be hard pressed to find a man, woman or child who has not only seen the Herbert Ross-directed 1989 film, but can also recite entire passages of the immensely quotable dialogue. With that kind of audience familiarity, any production of the play is bound to be unfairly compared to the movie. The trick is to find a way to make the performance unique. Washington County Actors Community Theatre has found a sure-fire way to do just that: the entire play is performed, not in a theatre, but in an actual beauty shop. In the center of the town square in Salem, Indiana, a little shop called Nancy's Hair Expressions has been transformed into Truvy's Beauty Spot, as a hand-printed sign outside the store informs us. Inside, six talented actresses under the taut direction of Brice Blair transport us through time and space to Chinquapin Parrish, Louisiana, from April 1984 through November 1986.
I won't recount the plot here, as it is so very familiar; suffice it to say it's the story of life, love, laughter and tragedy as it affects the lives of six lovely ladies of the south. It plays out over four scenes, all set in an enclosed carport converted into a beauty salon. I admit I had my doubts on how well a play performed in a beauty salon would work, but I have to say it was amazing. I was really able to lose myself in the performance, and it seemed like the action was really happening. Mr. Blair has coaxed his actresses into using the entire shop, from the front entrance to the office in the back, and even has them washing and drying hair while peforming the play. You will just have to see it to believe it. The performances were universally spectacular. None of the six actresses felt the need to try to imitate the indelible characterizations in the movie. This is particularly true of Sharon Cardwell as Clairee, a recent widow with money. The actress does bear a physical resemblance to Olympia Dukakis (who played the role in the film), but her performance here is entirely her own. (And she has had plenty of time to hone it, this being at least the fourth time she has played the character!) Janet Morris makes a great Truvy, the beautician and owner of the shop. She really makes you love her character and has some of the best lines. The Dolly Parton wig she sports through the show is a little much at first, but after a while you get used to it and it works for the character. Rebecca Chaney's Annelle is one of the show's most realistic portrayals. She goes from being awkward and shy, then wild and rebellious, to God-fearing and meek, and pulls it all off with a believability that is nothing short of astonishing. This is easily some of this actress's finest work to date. Lesley Marshall, in the central role of Shelby, is a solid actress but she does come off a bit young for the role. I was told by those involved that she actually is the same age as her character, putting her in her twenties, but honestly she appeared to be about fifteen! But her performance is strong enough that you can get past the age issue (though when she utters the line "We did things that frightened the fish," it was unintentionally unsettling!) Sally Bledsoe is at first a little off-putting in the role of the crabby and cantankerous Ouiser. She barks and bellows her lines like she's firing them from a cannon, but eventually you get used to the portrayal and grow to like the character. But by far the strongest performance in the piece is provided by Grace Poganski as M'Lynn, Shelby's long-suffering mother. You can feel every emotion she conveys, from her frustration at Shelby's stubborn nature through the love she shows for her daughter. I defy anyone to have dry eyes during her emotional breakdown in the final scene! It's really pointless to point out any technical flaws in the production, because what few flaws I noticed all stemmed from the lack of an actual theatre: one important scene was performed in the dark, a few of the entrances from the front door were a little slow, and the metal folding chairs the audience had to sit in were not very comfortable. But those are really minor quibbles in a production that was just amazing to behold. So, if "laughter through tears is your favorite emotion," and if you have a "strict policy that no one cries alone in your presence," you owe it to yourself to make the trip to Salem and see a unique and solid production of one of America's all-time favorite plays.
Steel Magnolias August 1 - 10, 2008 Washington County Actors Community
Theatre Starring Sally Bledsoe, Sharon Cardwell, Rebecca Chaney, Lesley Marshall, Janet Morris, and Grace Poganski. Posted August 4, 2008
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