Steel Magnolias

Entering the auditorium we were immediately submerged into the small town world of Chinquapin and the beautifications of Truvy Jones’s Beauty Salon, attention to detail which included running water had been carefully considered and the ambiance set the scene before we even met the ladies of the Louisiana elite. Each lady delivered her role with thought and conviction within the small performing space and it was obvious a lot of work had been focussed on emotion and the relationships between each and every one of them. The relationship between M’Lynne and Shelby was particularly strong and the emotional rollercoaster that we were taken upon was handled beautifully. Shelby stood out particularly due to her strong use of stillness, simple but thoughtful gestures and emotional depth, her visual appearance changed dramatically as she progressed through the piece and this was more due to the actress’s use of her physicality than her change of wig! At times some of the comedy was slightly over played but this can be excused as the pathos was delivered just right, we truly felt for them as the dealt with the death of their youngest ‘sister’, bringing the ladies together to support and cherish their friendships. Truvy was played with just the right amount of self-absorbed nosiness as she developed a soft spot for her ‘new’ employee Annelle. Annelle blossomed as she ‘found’ herself and had the knack of being unseen by the ‘elite’ while going about her daily chores. Clairee didn’t overwhelm with her wealth but did come over as a matriarch to whom all would go in crises and Ouiser’s hidden romantic liaison was handled with bluster and quick one-liners. Many a tear trickled and a rib was tickled, well done to all concerned this was an evening to remember.

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