Speed the Plow

‘Speed-the-Plow’ a play by misogynist David Mamet and directed by amazing Mel Cantwell, is the latest production showing at the Playhouse Theatre in Perth until 2^nd August.

            Two friends have worked together for more than a decade in the film industry, and then Bobby (Steve Turner) gets a promotion to senior script selector. His friend Charlie (Luke Hewitt) is offered first option on a play by a well known writer. He takes this to Bobby’s new office for consideration, and is thrilled to find for the first time in his life that there is a chance of his name appearing on the titles as a co-producer.
            Bobby has found that there are other perks with the job when his stunning, part-time, secretary (Gemma Northover) shows some interest. He gives her a diabolical book to review and asks if he can call around that evening for her comments. Will he like what he gets?

After the tightly written, wonderful, ‘Oleanna’, I was looking forward to this new production. However I found the script garrulous and slow. The first of the three acts was hard going, despite the excellent, well-matched, New York accents, the hard work put into the performances by a prize winning well-respected cast. Bobby was shown as the manipulating power-mad boss, and Charlie as the frustrated, jealous friend with a driving ambition. Basically none of the characters were likeable.
Great set design by Claude Marcos which framed the whole show and established the cinema / star link.

A strong and determined attempt at a verbose, slow play – which almost won a Tony Award in the US, How?? Sorry, but 75 minutes of shallow storyline.