Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Roger Williams University’s Barn Summer Playhouse in association with Wilbury Theatre Group’s summer show is “Moonlight and Magnolias” by Ron Hutchinson which is the mostly true story of the creation of “Gone With The Wind” movie. This production is dedicated to the memory of Donald J. Farish, President of Roger Williams University. “Moonlight and Magnolias” was the original working title for this historic movie. It is a wild romp in the style of the 1930’s movie comedies.
It is 1939 and Hollywood is abuzz because legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production on his new epic movie, a film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s novel. It’s because the screenplay and the current director, George Cukor, are simply not working. So Selznick sends for famed screen writer Ben Hecht to doctor the script even though he hasn’t read the novel and predicts the film’s certain failure. He also pulls Victor Fleming off the set of “Wizard of Oz” and brings him to his office, too. Selznick locks the doors and puts everyone on a diet of peanuts and bananas as the three men labor over the script. The producer and director act out each scene of the movie in a very hilarious fashion. Frankly my dear, this is one funny play with witty and pointed dialogue and hilarious and comic situations. Directed by Jeffrey Martin, the show is a funny and thought provoking from the very first line to the last. He picks the best four performers for these character roles and are rewarded with a thunderous ovation.
Jeffrey blocks the show wonderfully and elicits strong performances from his hard working cast. I last reviewed Jeffrey when he directed “The Play About the Baby” at the Barn Summer Playhouse.The beautiful set is by Matthew Paquin and gorgeous costumes are by Emily Taradash whom I have reviewed many times before. It is a Hollywood office of the 1930’s complete with a huge bay window overlooking the Hollywood back lot. The trio’s efforts to get the show back on track begins to look like a Marx Brother or Three Stooges movie with the actors becoming more disheveled as are their surroundings and they suffer different maladies as the five days drag on. The funniest scene is where they slap each other trying to figure out how Scarlet should slap Prissy. Real slaps not fake ones. Ouch!
Brien Lang plays David Selznick, the legendary Hollywood producer who is obsessed with making the best movie in the history of the world. Selznick is high strung-high energy detail oriented, can be blunt and nearly psychotic. He has a gambling problem. He and Fleming play all the characters in “Gone With the Wind.” Selznick occasionally gets interrupted by phone calls from Vivien Leigh, his father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer, Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons and Ed Sullivan. During a debate he freezes in position like he’s had a shock. Hecht begs him to do realistic movies to reflect the problems of the world not these stupid melodramas. Brien delivers a tour de force performance, never leaving the stage.
Jim Sullivan as former Chicago reporter, screenwriter and script doctor, Ben Hecht. He is cynical, sarcastic and deeply committed to pro-Jewish causes. He keeps telling Selznick that he hasn’t read the book so they have to act out the 63 chapters. While he types the script, he warns them that slapping a young black girl will turn America against the heroine and the movie will fail. Hecht warns him that no Civil War movie made a dime. Jim makes the part his own with the delivery of his comic one liners while mispronouncing Ashley’s name wrong, confusing characters and events in the book, his looks of disbelief and his biggest laugh of the night is about Doshevesky ejaculating whenever he lost a bet when Selznick talks about his gambling problem.
Nick Corey plays Victor Fleming. a director of mostly action films including “The Test Pilot” which would go on to win an Academy Award. He was a former auto mechanic and chauffeur who worked his way up from camera assistant to director. Nick captures his nervous energy and impatience wonderfully. He is hysterical while playing Melanie giving birth while laying on the floor screaming push and also plays Prissy who gets slapped around. Brien plays Scarlet in this scene and many others. Nick’s funniest lines are “I only slugged Judy Garland once”, “The Oscar looks like a golden dick” and “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a shit”. The audience roared with laughter. Selznick’s faithful and hard working assistant is well played by Miranda Coker. She is long suffering and dedicated to him as Miss Poppenghul. Miranda runs in and out of several scenes in the show. Her breakdown scene at the end is very funny. They all have conflicting personalities. Selznick is confident the movie will be successful while Hecht thinks it will bomb, declining to take screen credit. Fleming decides to take his salary immediately instead of taking a share of the profits. So for a recent well written comedy, be sure to catch “Moonlight and Magnolias” at the Wilbury Theatre Group performed by Roger Williams Summer Playhouse. You will be glad you did.
MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS (16 to 26 August)
Roger Williams Summer Playhouse @ The Wilbury Theatre Group, 40 Sonoma Court, Providence, RI
!(401)400-7100 or www.thewilburygroup.org
