Playwright: Ron Hutchinson
At: Goodman (Owen), 170 N. Dearborn
Phone: (312) 443-3800; $20-$35
Runs through: June 13
What do I think about that over-glorified bodice ripper, Gone With the Wind? Frankly, my dears, I don't give a damn. With this attitude, I approached the Goodman's world premiere production of playwright Ron Hutchinson's Moonlight and Magnolias with some trepidation. The story, though, sounded intriguing enough, especially to an arts writer. Hutchinson has crafted a story, based on fact, that locks legendary producer David O. Selznick in his posh studio office (admirably detailed work from scenic designer Michael Philippi) with screenwriter, journalist and script doctor extraordinaire, Ben Hecht, and newly hired director Victor Fleming (Selznick pulled him off The Wizard of Oz after firing George Cukor, who had helmed the colossal production, I guess, with unsatisfying results). The men, with a few interruptions from a very dedicated and ferociously loyal secretary, Miss Poppenghul, have a Herculean task: to come up with a usable script for the Civil War saga in five days. With only bathroom breaks and bananas and peanuts for sustenance, the trio works to near delirium in trying to produce a screenplay that a score of other writers have failed at, among them F. Scott Fitzgerald. Add to the obstacles the fact that Ben Hecht has never read Margaret Mitchell's tome (save for the first page, to which he gives the following critical assessment: 'yech!') and Hutchinson has already set out a tasty conflict on which his characters feast.
Moonlight and Magnolias has several things to recommend it. Steven Robman's deft direction keeps the often slapstick pace at breakneck speed and has ably choreographed a story that combines high comedy with the darker side of the Hollywood studio system, circa 1939, and its biases against Jews and African Americans. Robman's ensemble delivers surprisingly agile and adept work. As Hecht, William Dick shines brightest, a voice of jaded reason in a world gone nearly insane in its attempt to provide the kind of entertainment a varied and fickle audience demands. His understated delivery works in effective counterpoint against Ron Orbach's manic impersonation of Selznick. Orbach is broad in every sense of the word, and conveys Selznick's desperation with panache and punch. As Fleming, Rob Riley does credible work, providing some of the funniest moments as he and Selznick act out scenes from the story. Mary Seibel's overly efficient secretary is the perfect period underling, wise beyond her superiors even as she's cleaning up their messes.
Moonlight and Magnolias offers a fast-paced, often funny, sometimes thought-provoking evening of theater. Part history lesson, part sociological screed, and part farce, the play demonstrates superior craftsmanship. However, there are a few quibbles. The first of these is something that might be corrected with a bit of judicious pruning. Selznick's near-rabid desire to get the screenplay down on paper is engaging enough, but this obsession is brought home a little too heavy handedly: we're told the same thing over and over. Second, the tone of the piece is uneven: its farcical laughs are undercut by the play's more serious (and not all that fresh) message about how the audience dictates what goes on the screen, and the plight of Jews in Hollywood. The moments when Hutchinson tries for social commentary are the weakest. He would have been better off sticking with 'screwball' and leaving some of the heavier subject matter for the historians.
All in all, though, this is a fun portrait of a Hollywood that no longer exists. It isn't perfect, but then maybe I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no hits.
Extensive theater listings at www.windycitymediagroup.com/theateropenings.html
