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Steel Magnolias
Presented by: QUT Gardens Theatre & Blackbird Productions
Venue: QUT Gardens Theatre, Gardens Point, Brisbane
Reviewer: Kellie Scott
Date Reviewed: Monday 14th September 2009
This heart-warming piece of theatre is a touching and humorous
exploration of the lives of six women whose friendship bonds are
tested by personal tragedy.
Taking place in Truvy Jones’ beauty salon, the women share the usual
small town hiccups and happiness of their everyday lives. While most
of the time it’s all laughs and gossip, the ill-health of their
youngest friend and daughter of one of the inner circle, Shelby, is
an underlying concern. As Shelby’s health declines the women show
their strength of spirit and resilience and that true friendship is
a bond that cannot be broken.
The cast, which includes a who’s who of Australian stage and TV,
delivered hilarious and honest performances that reached out and
touched the audience. The female to male crowd ratio was high, and
so was the mature to young. It seemed many fans of the film made the
effort to see the stage version of the classic chick flick. There
wouldn’t have been any disappointments as the performances prompted
laughter, joy, and tears!
Jackie Weaver was stunning as Truvy Jones. In her cowgirl boots,
denim mini skirt and big hair, she was the epitome of the hometown
70s and 80s Beauty School. Aside from showing off her great legs,
she exuded her character’s warmth and optimism. Her quick wit
however was no match for Jennifer Hagan, who played Clairee Belcher.
She stole many of the laughs with her sarcastic wisdom and
continuous banter with Geraldine Turner’s character, Ousier. The two
were a delight to watch as their obvious care for one another was
displayed by constant mockery of their conflicting dispositions.
Newcomer Marian Frizelle as the bubbly Shelby, was lots of fun and
beamed on set as the girl who never let anything get her down. Her
excitable nature mixed with a little attitude was a fresh dynamic in
the mix of characters. Another personality that shone was Annelle
Dupuy played by Ana Maria Belo. Despite the screeching Southern
accent, her clumsiness and eagerness to please was the foundation
for many jokes.
Debra Lawrence delivered a raw and emotional performance in the last
scene of the night that wrenched the heart strings. Most would know
her as Pippa from Home and Away, and ironically her character
M’Lynn shares a lot of similarities with the well known foster mum
of Summer Bay.
The beauty salon stage design was striking. With loads of pink and
floral it peaked just below tacky and gave a homey feel to the set.
Very elaborate, it had everything a girl could need from a nail
station, to a wash basin to the hairdressing corner and more.
This beautifully written play is a timeless piece that represents
the strength of womanhood and the importance of honesty among
friends. Director Darren Yap and his talented cast have created a
flawless production, bringing the significance of its meaning to
light. The gossip was hilarious, the sadness was poignant, but the
message was clear. As Yap said, the play’s highlighting theme is
that ‘life must go on’.
Steel Magnolias will continue its tour around Australia. To view
dates visit
www.blackbirdproductions.com.au.
Kellie Scott reviews for her website
www.brisbanecritiques.com, which was launched in October of
2008. Her reviews can also sometimes be found at
www.absolutetheatre.com.au. Previously her critiques for music
and film have been published in The Catholic Leader and The
Satellite newspapers. She is currently studying Journalism at
university, and hopes to use this to develop her writing skills,
focusing on becoming a professional critic in the future. If you
would like to contact Kellie, please email
kellie@brisbanecritiques.com.
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