Moonlight and Magnolias
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre presents Moonlight and Magnolias
Starring Jay Brazeau, Stephen E. Miller, Richard Newman and Dawn Petten
The Golden Age of Hollywood is ripe with drama and big names, making Ron Hutchison’s Moonlight and Magnolias full of both.
Taking place during the years of the studio systems, David O. Selznick has bought the rights to the world-famous book, Gone With the Wind. But three weeks into production he realizes that the screenplay isn’t working.
What else does the head of a production company do? Halt filming, fire the famed George Cukor, pull the director of The Wizard of Oz off his shoot and onto this one, and hire script Doctor Ben Hecht to fix the screenplay. Unfortunately, Hecht hasn’t read the book.
Locking himself and the two men in his office, Selznick has five days to convince the other two to save the film that could make or break all of their careers.
The first day is rife with personal conflict, fights and verbal abuse from all sides. But as the time ticks by, their sanity waning, the set becomes a hotbed for hilarity.
Fed only bananas and peanuts, which Selznick says are “brain food,” him and Fleming act out the parts while Hecht types furiously on his typewriter or stares at the other two incredulously.
Jay Brazeau takes on the role of larger-than-life David O. Selznick. He gives everything to his performance and shines every moment he is on stage, which is the full two hours. Standout moments are when he plays the role of Scarlett O’Hara and prances around holding his jacket tales as a skirt, or when he feigns being pregnant and uses a round pillow to drive home his point.
My favorite moment is when the three men are having yet another fight over the scene when Scarlett slaps Prissy and they begin demonstrating the slap on each other. After running around the stage, each trying to make his point, they stop and, in slapstick style, slap each other in a series of turns, huffs and surprise attacks. The choreography by Nicholas Harrison is executed to perfection.
Richard Newman and Stephen E. Miller take on the roles of Ben Hecht and Victor Fleming, respectively. Their complicity and ability to shoot off lighting fast dialogue kicks the play into high gear that doesn’t stop until the curtain falls.
Dawn Petter plays the character of Selznick’s put upon secretary, Ms. Poppenghul, delightfully. She’s barked orders at, bossed around, yet always at the ready with her pen and paper for the next command. When asked what the philosophy of Selznick International Pictures is, she strikes a pose and rattles off the promotional speech she has learned by heart.
The actors don’t let up from the moment the lights go up until the curtain drops at the end. This production is truly a showcase of master acting and fantastic dialogue. The show runs from February 24- March 17, 2007 at the Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver, Canada.
Visit the website to purchase tickets: www.vancouverplayhouse.com
