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| L-R Michael Taylor Gray, Therese McLaughlin, C. Stephen Foster - Chris Hume - Photo |
Bette Davis slapped a lot of people in her movies. There are too many to count in a video-montage
sendup at the beginning of Bitchslap! This production, wonderfully written by
Darrin Hagen and beautifully directed by Odalys Nanin, is playing at the Macha
Theatre in West Hollywood.
Maybe that was the thing to do in the old Warner Bros.
movies. If you couldn’t find a mental action, try a physical one. And if you don’t know what to do with your
hands, slap something: man, woman, or beast. And generally, they were all
beasts!
One could almost imagine the scenarios. Mr. Director; I think this would be a good
moment to slap him, or, slapping him would elevate the scene, or, if I slapped
her during her ridiculous banter she could see how serious I am, or, you slap me
again mate and I’m going to head-butt you.
Joan Crawford (Michael Taylor Gray) and Bette Davis (C.
Stephen Foster) have a love-hate relationship with Hollywood, the studio
moguls, with each other, and with the press.
Well, maybe not all of the press.
They both love Hedda Hopper (Therese McLaughlin) who makes it a point to
keep their names splashed in the yellow rags they called the newspapers.
Bitchslap! is a glorious instant flashbulb re-creation of an
era that captures the significant moments in the press-filled lives of both Davis
and Crawford.
Bette Davis, nominated for eight Academy Awards, was all
about character and noted for being “the actress” a serious actress.
"The best boy? I'll be the judge of that." - Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford was celebrated for her “glamour puss” face. She was also inclined to hop from bed to bed with the frequency of an amorous house cat for the sake of furthering her career. Hollywood legend has her charming everyone, men and women alike, each wanting to lay claim to a Hollywood legend. Joan is no wallflower, she speaks of her conquests, narrating lists the people she has slept with, right there, on stage. It is a long and glorious list and seems to go on ad infinitum.
Joan Crawford was celebrated for her “glamour puss” face. She was also inclined to hop from bed to bed with the frequency of an amorous house cat for the sake of furthering her career. Hollywood legend has her charming everyone, men and women alike, each wanting to lay claim to a Hollywood legend. Joan is no wallflower, she speaks of her conquests, narrating lists the people she has slept with, right there, on stage. It is a long and glorious list and seems to go on ad infinitum.
We also get a glimpse of Crawford’s list of do’s and don’t. “Rules for dating me.”, which includes, pulling
out “my” chair while dining out, focusing your eyes on “me” while “I’m” eating
and always be on the left side of “me” when “I’m” being photographed. There is a
lot of “me”, “me”, “me” in her do’s and don’t list.
The battle seems to begin when Bette Davis wins an Oscar for
her role in Dangerous sitting next to co-star, Franchot Tone. Tone is Joan Crawford’s husband. Joan
Crawford stole Tone away from Davis and married him before Davis knew what had happened.
Davis was, in fact, in love with Tone.
Davis, not expecting an Oscar win, wore a plain dress for
the occasion. After the announcement Tone, jumps up and hugs Davis for her win. Crawford looks to Davis and acidly congratulates
her with the comment “What a lovely frock.”
Davis steams.
"You can lead a whore to culture. But you can't make her think." - Bette Davis
"You can lead a whore to culture. But you can't make her think." - Bette Davis
After the Oscar win, Davis asks Jack Warner for more money
but he won’t budge. Davis sues the company and loses. But she gets her just
reward by being at the top of the favorite actress list and winning another
Oscar in 1938 for Jezebel.
In 1940’s, Betty Davis is the star and Joan Crawford,
previously the star at the MGM studios, is now box-office poison. Crawford wants out of her contract and she is
released to, of all places, Better Davis’s home, Warner Brothers. And to make
things a little cozier Joan Crawford pitches her tent next to Davis.
While Crawford is on the Warner Brothers lot she wins an
Oscar for Mildred Pierce.
"Your tear glands must be connected to your bladder." - Bette Davis
"Your tear glands must be connected to your bladder." - Bette Davis
The battle is on!
But, it is a short-lived battle as the careers of both starts
to wane. Davis heads to New York to star
in Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana to stretch her acting wings. Joan Crawford
visits her backstage and tells her about the book, What Ever Happened to Baby
Jane? Crawford argues that it will serve as the perfect comeback for the both
of them.
Davis agrees to do the film and the fight is on.
Odalys Nanin has produced
and directed a truly remarkable funfest. It was fun for the actors, and fun for
the audience as well. It is one of those plays that you can leave your troubles
at home and come to the theatre to watch two female characters snatch each
other bald headed. And they go at each
other with the filming of Baby Jane.
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| L-R C. Stephen Foster, Therese McLaughlin, Michael Taylor - Joel Turrisi - Photo |
C. Stephen Foster
as Bette Davis is remarkable and does a great impersonation. True to her nature, she stays in character
throughout while her counterpart breaks the fourth wall. Foster has great comic timing. This is a marvelous performance, funny, and
wickedly charming. And the fascinating
thing about Foster’s performance is watching Davis as an “actress” who is
constantly working on her craft. She is able to listen as well as take ideas. That’s
what makes Foster’s work fascinating to watch. It takes a lot of acting chops
to recognize this and to perform it as well. Also, Foster is the author of the book, Awakening
The Actor Within. Please look for it at
www.awakeningtheactorwithin.com
Michael Taylor Gray
is equally funny as Joan Crawford. As the character, Crawford is definitely the
personality and not the actress. She is always so exquisitely polite to her fans,
always late, and so immaculately dressed with shoulders pads out to “there” but
try as she might she doesn’t quite have the acting chops of her competitor and co-star.
The things she does to get ready for a scene are really funny, particularly when
she is in shadow against a blue backdrop in the scenes of What Ever Happened to
Baby Jane? Another comical aspect is when Crawford, on
numerous occasions, breaks the fourth wall to make her point with an audience
member. It is a connect with the audience which you don’t see often and it is
hilarious!
Therese McLaughlin
as Hedda Hopper is wonderful as well. In character, she keeps us up to date with
the goings on of these two stars. But
McLaughlin is remarkable in what she does on stage to keeps the two civil
toward each other and to maintain good relationships with both. There is also a
wonderful scene where Hedda has had enough and she wants the low-down on the
movie and will not take no for an answer. She wants the truth and will not let
go. It is a remarkable scene by an
equally remarkable actor.
Jeanne Carr, the
Hedda Hopper alternate, did not perform on this night.
There are a lot of remarkable things in Darrin Hagen’s play. It is a laugh fest from beginning to end.
Drawing quotes from these two must have been a pleasing exercise.
The lights and set is by John Toom. The stage manager is Carey Dunn. And the
publicist is Nora Feldman.
Run and take an actor who has been bitch slapped too many
times to count.
Extented, once again, through July 15, 2012
Reservations:
323-960-7724
www.plays411.com/bitchslap
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