"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. 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. |