Austinist Reviews: Speed-the-Plow
If you're not familiar with the story, the set-up is simple; two movie execs look forward to closing a major movie deal—a buddy flick starring the flavor of the month. The central conflict is this: what makes good movies? Or rather, what matters more: butts in seats or creating art? Practically everyone has an opinion about this. Either you're an Iron Man dude or a fan of the Cremaster Cycle. Or, like us, maybe you're a little of both.
That's what makes watching Speed-the-Plow so much fun. Which side will triumph? The shallow or the deep? In an incessant stream of beautiful language only Mamet could write, both arguments make sense and yet fail all at once. If you're a fan of movies, much less theatre, this play is a blast to watch from start to finish. And in the hands of a stellar cast, you get to hear the words and see the scenes of this well-known work in their most intense, funniest, very best light.
Charlie Fox (Ben Wolfe) is the lucky schmuck who scores the option, and his boss, Bobby Gould (Kenneth Wayne Bradley), is the decision maker and gatekeeper between him and the man at the top. Wolfe and Bradley are much-lauded actors who consistently turn out top-notch performances, and this production is no exception. They're great. Wolfe is twitchy and full of frenetic gesticulation. In a final scene, when he finally takes a position of power behind Bobby's desk, his eyes shine with all-consuming mania. Bradley has perfected the art of stillness on stage. He possesses a quiet presence that rivets. Much of the time Bobby is unreadable, and Bradley's face is a study in neutrality-with-purpose. When Bobby makes moves—whether full of decisiveness or wrought by indecision—they're all the richer juxtaposed with his state at rest.
By no means least, Hallie Martin is Karen, a temp who turns the deal on its ear. Martin is new to us, and we loved her as Karen. The role was originated by (brace yourself) Madonna. We don't want to imagine how that went, but Martin sinks her teeth into what could be played ditzily flat. Demure and coy, you're at first not sure what she's all about, and Martin clearly has fun revealing her character. At one point, as she reads ridiculous drivel from "the radiation book," her sincerity is so delightful you'll snort with laughter. It's brilliant stuff.
This second-stage production is simple but elegant. The functional, no-frills set doesn't distract. In a clever turn of lighting design, Don Day strategically places mirrors to reflect onto the back wall, illuminating the actors' faces to magnificent effect. Tricks like this impress us. Under the direction of Michael Stuart and Lara Toner, the 20-year-old script doesn't suffer in the slightest. The play zips along, as fresh as the day it debuted.
Mamet has been hooked into this town ever since he bestowed the Ransom Center with his papers a year ago. He's studied by many, beloved by even more. People have opinions about Mamet—about how he should be done. We suspect the man himself would approve of this production. Austin Playhouse closes their second-stage season with a winner. We'll be keen to see what they offer in '08-'09.
