Stage Reviews : ‘Plow’ Is Likable but Fails to Unearth the Play’s Soul

When one thinks about David Mamet, Mozart often comes to mind. Mamet is the latest in a long line of playwrights who writes words like Mozart wrote music, with well-defined musical patterns and phrasing. Of course, it’s possible to play Mozart without paying attention to patterns and phrasing.

It’s also possible to direct and act Shakespeare, Sheridan, Wilde, Coward, Peter Shaffer, et al--and Mamet--with the same freedom. The plays usually stand up, as good plays frequently do, and Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” stands up in this production at Costa Mesa’s Backstage Theatre. It’s a charming, glossy snapshot of high jinks at the top of filmdom, and it’s ultimately watch-able.

Director Steven Paul Schwartz, who gives the production its shape and aura efficiently, hasn’t worried too much about the Mamet speech patterns. What the play loses thereby is its savage bite. It retains its humor, but loses its wit. It has its heart, but not its soul.

“Speed-the-Plow” is probably the most explicit, most adroit statement by a disgruntled writer about what’s wrong in that plush room at the top of Hollywood’s towers. Bobby Gould has just been made head of production. He’s dragging in his longtime friend and ally Charlie Fox to share the spoils. Neither of them is ready for the monkey wrench thrown into their plans by office temp Karen, until they remember who they are and what they stand for.

The play is written like a Classical concerto, in three movements (scenes). The first, in which Gould and Fox establish the main themes of the piece, is the indication of how conductor Schwartz is going to proceed.

Harry Zimmerman’s Charlie Fox hits all the right buttons and tries to keep to Mamet’s rhythms and tempos. He’s sleazy and oily, and his syllables pop out like caps exploding. But Dale Howard’s Gould talks with a swing-band beat, danceable and easy.

Gould is sleazy, too, maybe even sleazier than Fox. Howard doesn’t see him that way. His Gould is too sincere all the way through, is having too much fun playing the Hollywood game, and isn’t as taken aback at Karen’s success in “promoting” him as Gould would be. That someone broke through his sleaze should be a shock, with the attendant numbness.

Johanna St. Michaels is just fine as the not-so-naive Karen. Mamet writes more chewable dialogue for women, and admits it, and St. Michaels would be at home in a production that heard his rhythms.

There’s no credit for the set design on the postage stamp sized Backstage, but it cleverly covers the second act furniture with a painting cloth (an added line explains that Gould’s office is being painted). More important than a set in this space is lighting, and Chris Akers design helps create the world of “Speed-the-Plow.”

‘Speed-the-Plow’

* A Backstage Theatre & Company production of the David Mamet play. Directed by Steven Paul Schwartz. With Dale Howard, Harry Zimmerman and Johanna St. Michaels. Lighting design: Chris Akers. At the Backstage Theatre, 1599 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa. Fridays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends Nov. 28. $10. (714) 646-5887. Running time: 2 hours.