Melbourne Civic Theatre delivers all the laughs written into "Moonlight & Magnolias" and then some.
The idea behind Ron Hutchinson's comedy is that Hollywood producer David O. Selznick is dissatisfied with the screenplay for "Gone with the Wind." He hires script writer Ben Hecht to type away while Selznick and director Victor Fleming and locks them in his office for five days to rewrite the script. During that time, they act out war, love, birth and death.
While the manic direction has Peg Girard's talented fingerprints all over it, she sets her gifted cast loose to bring the gusto home. Their comic performances have some of the funniest stage business this side of the Marx Brothers.
In fact, watching Al Silva (Selznick), Steven Wolf (Fleming) and Terrence Girard (Hecht), you may think you've channel surfed into some late night vintage comedy starring Abbott & Costello, The Three Stooges or even Martin & Lewis.
Yes, there have been those who have voiced strong objections to Hutchinson's comedy, referring to his writing caricatures rather than characters.
But come on. This is slapstick humor. The world needs a little pie in the face, don't you think? And try not to laugh out loud when Girard, as Hecht, who considers himself a serious writer, has a breakdown when being asked to write "Tomorrow is another day." Or when Silva, as Selznick acting out Scarlett, squeals out "War, war war...That's all anybody can talk about, is war, war, war."
Or when Wolf, as Fleming, steps center stage, considers the epic film he's about to take on and, with a large gesture, declares: "Make it big. Ham it up. Make them forget what piffle it is."
There are gags galore in the show. As the secretary, Miss Poppenguhl, played so sweetly and with such humor by Rita Moreno, keeps the men supplied with peanuts and bananas.
For sure, some people will squirm when Selznick and Fleming take on Butterfly McQueen's falsetto voice. But Hecht, himself stung by anti-semitism, protests the treatment of the maid and, in fact, decries Selznick making a movie from a book that "glorifies the confederacy."
Scenic designer Gary Postlethwait creates a handsome and convincing office for the Hollywood producer. Lighting designer Alan Selby and sound designer Wendy Reader add good touches which add to the 1930s ambiance.
The bonus here is that the actors, all so talented, dig below the surface from time to time and wring out more complexities from Hutchinson's two-dimensional characters. Their performances keep you laughing, but actually touch you as well.
But really, who knew "Gone with the Wind" was so funny?
SIDE O' GRITS: "Moonlight & Magnolias," through Sept. 19 at Melbourne Civic Theatre, 817 E. Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne. Curtain is 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. $20 general, $18 seniors/students. Call 723-6935 or visit
www.mymct.org.
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Pam Harbaugh writes the arts scene across the Space Coast.
