Moonlight And Magnolias

This play, advertised as a comedy, is apparently inspired in part by real events surrounding the creation of the iconic film 'Gone With The Wind'. You might wonder where the humour comes from? Picture producer David O. Selznick, screenwriter Ben Hecht and director Victor Fleming locked in an office together for five days, wrestling with how to turn the novel into a script suitable for filming. The main comic device is Fleming and Hecht viewing themselves as Selznick's hostages, growing increasingly frantic and delusional with just bananas, popcorn and peanuts to eat.

A drop-down screen introduces us to the era in which this play is set - 1939. The one set, Selznick’s office, was beautifully presented and dressed. Lighting was more or less constant but I did like how the sky, viewed out of the room’s window, changed depending on the time of day. Costumes good.

Mary Alderson played Selznick’s secretary Miss Poppenghul, what a wonderful character performance this was by Mary, she came on every so often with her notebook or bringing more peanuts, popcorn and bananas. She also brings a bit of comic suspense: how many different inflections can one character introduce to the line “Yes, Mr. Selznick?” James Kelch is an excitable, always in motion David O. Selznick but he was able to show the energy for a man who has a lot to lose if the film flops. David Smith appreciated Ben Hecht’s witty cynicism, which contrasts with the physical action. When Hecht admits he hasn’t read the novel ‘Gone with the Wind,’ the group performs it for him, and both his reactions and their exaggerated acting are amusing. Nick Smith as Victor Fleming has little intellectual curiosity and is basically a no-nonsense director. He was pulled off the set of directing ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to save this film. It was a tough role to make funny but Nick does it.

Helen Thorpe directed this production skillfully and the talented cast delivered outstanding performances. The action maintains a steady pace as banana peel, popcorn, peanut shells and papers accumulate on stage, with the men's clothing and tempers becoming equally dishevelled. Thankfully, the audience is only left to imagine what Selznick's office might have smelled like after 5 days!

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