by: MJ Pendleton

"Speed the Plow"
5 stars (out of 5)
Red Barn Studio, 1122 S. 3rd Street
Showing through August 2nd
Wed.-Sat., 8pm; Sun., 3pm
Tickets: 910-762-0955

According to playwright David Mamet, “People may or may not say what they mean—but they always say something designed to get what they want.” His philosophy, which teeters on the edge of realism and the crevice of cynicism, is reflected in his plays. Though “Speed the Plow” is set in Hollywood, it is essentially a universal character study of three people, each looking out for number one. The fascination lies in the ambiguity of their personal agendas. The brilliance is in the realistic dialogue and the actors’ delivery of it.

When director Linda Lavin worked with Hal Prince, she “learned to hire good people, and give them space to create the event and tell the story.” It is difficult to imagine “Speed the Plow” performed by a different cast. Gil Johnson Bobby (Gould), Steve Bakunas (Charles Fox) and Isabel Heblich (Karen) are astonishingly good actors separately and together. Good chemistry is essential in communicating the emotional manipulation, which is the essence of the story.

The plot is relatively simple; though, there are subtle layers of complexity. On the surface Gould has just been promoted to head of production when good friend and fellow producer Fox brings him a surefire deal: action movie/big star. Temporary secretary Karen, who seems adorably naïve and ridiculously incompetent, is, perhaps, a Machiavellian master in disguise. Is she an impassioned idealist or a “tight pussy wrapped around ambition”? Is Gould really a self-proclaimed “whore and proud of it,” or does he want to make a film that will “make a difference”?

Johnson and Heblich are so convincingly equivocal that good-and-evil intent is difficult to decipher. The most honest character, Fox, is easily the most unsympathetic.

“The film industry,” he reminds Gould, “is like a new love affair—lots of surprises and you’re always getting fucked.”

He is a straightforward slime bag who wants “pots and pots of money,” and his name in lights. Bakunas is fantastic in the role of this jittery, wheedling, obsequious, obnoxious character.

Mamet is famous for his realistic dialogue, which can be difficult for actors who have been trained to take turns with lines and listen for cues. Mamet-speak is a fast talking, interrupting, inattentive, self-absorbed stream-of-consciousness. Johnson and Bakunas are so good at this, it’s like watching a professional tennis match.

Director Lavin’s choice of good people extends beyond the cast. Dorothy Rankin is frequently the production stage manager at Red Barn, though she directed “Glengarry Glen Ross,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning Mamet play last year. She is responsible for details that are often neglected, but adds a wonderful refinement and professionalism to the productions. The set split-stage design (Bakunas) is simple but effective and doesn’t interfere with the fast pace of the play.

Lavin and Bakunas have created an exquisitely intimate 50-seat black-box theater, and they produce intelligent, provocative plays, which are ideally suited to the venue. Attending a production at the Red Barn Studio is like being invited into their home for an evening of theater. Make reservations immediately—because of their overwhelming popularity, they have already had to extend the run and add 10 performances.