Speed-the-Plow

By  David Mamet
Old Vic Theatre, London
Starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum
Directed by Matthew Warchus
http://www.oldvictheatre.co.uk/

Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum

Matthew Warchus’ revival of David Mamet’s biting comedy of Hollywood manners has the added frisson of featuring two Hollywood stars: Jeff Goldblum and Kevin Spacey. Much has already been made of their teaming, not least their agility in delivering Mamet’s quick fire testosterone fuelled dialogue. Certainly they complement each other well as a double act and there is much to admire and enjoy in their verbal volleys in the opening scene, even if at times their exchanges are so rapid, they are hard to follow. Also there is something slightly arch and knowing about their opening antics – are they expressing the initial joint joie de vivre of their characters or merely two stars enjoying themselves on stage to the mutual enjoyment of the audience? It is a thin line between the two.  
  
Besides there is more to Mamet’s play than theatrical tennis and their double act unfortunately throws the production off balance at times. For ‘Speed -the -Plow’ is more than a boulevard comedy – it is a scathing satire on the precariousness of artistic integrity in the dark waters of Hollywood’s studio pools.

Mamet’s 1986 satire on the movie business centres on the age old Hollywood conundrum of art film versus blockbuster movie. Mamet’s fascination with the hard sell and male competitiveness (which he also explores in ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’, his 1983 exploration of the real estate business) is also evident in this play – in this case pitching a movie project.

Spacey is Charlie Fox, an independent movie producer who has finally come up with a dream blockbuster project which he at first successfully sells to his old buddy Bobby Gould (Goldblum), who has just been raised to the dizzy heights of studio chief. Enter Laura Michelle Kelly as Karen, a temporary secretary, and in his macho euphoria, Charlie bets Bobby that he won’t succeed in bedding her that night. In the midst of Bobby’s seduction, Karen pitches for another project – a pretentious and ‘worthy’ novel which would make a wonderful art film for which Gould would be forever remembered. Cue for a battle between saintly secretary and satanic sidekick for Gould’s artistic soul.

  Except that with Spacey as the satanic sidekick the battle is one sided. Miss Kelly, though highly effective in the opening scene in her innocence as the temp secretary who has never set foot in a studio office, is crowded out by the high octane charisma of her co-stars. Hers is a muted performance missing Mamet’s point that a woman has to play the same hard sell game in the masculine world of movie making and that Karen is a precursor of the manipulative Carol in Mamet’s later play ‘Oleanna.’

 Goldblum’s easy charm is evident throughout and he makes the most of the comic irony in the play giving an engaging and entertaining performance as well as clearly conveying Gould’s inner struggle. But he is no match for Spacey. In every moment of his magnetic performance Spacey is the Hollywood hard sell. He also powerfully portrays the frantic desperation behind it.

Overall an uneven if entertaining production, which may smooth itself out later in the run.  However, through Kevin Spacey’s performance, director Matthew Warchus does come close to the darker depths of Mamet’s satire and Tinsel Town.   

(Review based on a Preview Performance)
         
 Neil Ludwick