"Speed-the-Plow" by David Mamet

BT Production, Tuesday 19th February 2002 - reviewed by Henrietta Stackpole

'He takes his coffee like he makes his movies - nothing in it'

It's Bob's first day as Head of a Hollywood Production Company, and the miraculous happens: Duggie Brown, that renowned Hollywood Actor, has approached his friend Charlie and asked him to produce a 'Prison movie', an action-packed thriller with a plot based on completely meaningless sex and violence, which obviously guarantees it will be a hit all over the States. However, things go amiss when, over-excited at the prospect of being a millionaire, Charlie bets that Bob can't pull the Temp - and you should never underestimate a Temp…

All three actors gave good performances in this production. John Washington portrayed Bob Gould excellently as the charming yet impressionable Production Manager, easily swayed by Charlie and Karen in turn, while retaining the dignity of a man who's certain he's in control. He balanced well the poise of sophisticated disdain for Karen, in her 'naivety', with ironic ignorance concerning his own naivety at being taken in by her, producing good comic effect. This could not outdo Kuang Liu's comic timing as Charlie Fox though. Liu exuded vitality as the driven and hard-headed freelance 'Executive Producer', and the fact that he delivered some of the wittiest lines in the play helped to gain the audience's sympathy for his character. This was most effectively done in the last scene though, where Liu contrasted his character's vulnerability in various states of rage, despair and incredulity, as he realises Bob is serious when he says he won't back the Prison movie. For, alas - this has been prevented by the conniving Karen. Or is she…? Jessie Burton depicted Karen confidently as the obtuse Temp, and her forceful portrayal of character gave the edge to what was already a very commendable comedy, particularly as her character grew more determined to foist her new-found religion of The Radiation Book onto Bob in the style of a persistent toddler, whilst admitting flippantly in the same breath her willingness to sleep with him.

There were a few points where the production could have been improved. All cast members threw away some lines, Burton could have increased her character's ambiguity, and did Liu smile in reaction to the audience at one stage as they laughed at one of his quips…? The most disconcerting occurrence throughout the production was the glass, which smashed to the floor during a change-over, since Washington had to fall to the ground twice in the third scene, extremely near the remaining glass on stage. It might help to keep the stage lights on low in future during scene changes, since the audience can see the movement anyway, and it might prevent any more spillages or breakages.

However, these are minor faults. I was impressed with the overall quality of production - where else can you find American accents that don't leave you reaching for the nearest bucket? The background setting was appropriate and not overdone (even the cross containing Marilyn Monroe…) and the play made for an entertaining evening.