I’ve loved the story of Driving Miss Daisy since the film adaptation hit movie screens in the late 80s. I’ll be perfectly honest. At the time, I wasn’t aware it was a stage play some ten years prior to its leap to the big screen. I have, of course seen my share of theatrical production of the story in the years since, but I’m here to tell you, the Larry Keeton Theatre’s current iteration starring Linda Speir, Elliott Robinson and Jonathan Wilburn, as directed by Melissa Williams, is, hands down, my favorite version yet. Second only to the Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, Dan Aykroyd film adaptation.
No stranger to Keeton audiences, nor to playing memorable affluent southern women of substance, determination and wit, Speir was seen last year at the beloved dinner theatre in the company’s presentation of Steel Magnolias.
Having enjoyed Speir in a couple of productions of that other favorite southern tale, I once wrote that she should simply make a career of playing Clairee Belcher. Thankfully, director Williams ignored my suggestion and cast Speir as Daisy Worthan.
While there are similarities between these two iconic southern characters, and a lesser actor might be satisfied to play them with virtually the same delivery, Speir manages to find her unique voice for this turn as the elderly matriarch who is being forced, partly by her son, but mostly by the realities of aging, to accept assistance and change—both in her everyday life, and the world around her.
When the curtain rises, it’s Atlanta, 1948 as the audience meets Miss Daisy content in her home quietly singing to herself. In what could easily be interpreted as a bit of foreshadowing, she’s singing “After the Ball is Over”, a tune made popular at the turn of the century telling of lost love. Kudos to director, Williams for this and other period-perfect musical interludes that beautifully frame scenes throughout the play.
From the beginning, Speir presents Miss Daisy as a fiercely independent woman. That independence is seemingly threatened when it becomes necessary for her son, Boolie, (Jonathan Wilburn) to hire his aging mother a driver.
Wilburn is perfectly as Boolie, even sounding quite like Aykroyd. Unlike the film star, though, Wilburn’s Boolie is likable. Yes, he’s often stern with his defiant and proud mother, but there’s a gentleness to his performance that reaffirms everything he does…he does out of love.
As for the above-mentioned hired driver, Elliott Robinson, another actor familiar to Keeton audiences, is simply joyous as Hoke Colburn. Considering the play takes place during mid-century Atlanta, and deals directly either social, economic and racial differences of the past, still occurring in the present, Robinson’s role as Hoke and his evolving relationship with Miss Daisy is perhaps the most challenging of all three characters in the work. While the role of Hoke, might seem to some initially a bit of a racial stereotype as it presents a black man working for an wealthy white family in the south, it’s quickly evident there’s more to the role, and the actor. Robinson finds a gorgeous balance somewhere squarely between the man, his job and his great affect on those around him.
The playwright, Alfred Uhry does a magnificent job with the script, exploring and highlighting parallels between Daisy and Hoke, Hoke and Boolie and Boolie and Daisy, and as a director, Williams blissfully builds on these parallels with the interactions of her cast.
The play is never more poignant, nor brilliant than when the audience watches the relationship between Miss Daisy and Hoke morph from employer and employee to genuine friends.
When Boolie first hires Hoke to drive Miss Daisy, Speir’s Daisy is seen initially resisting any help, then she becomes very determined to hide the fact that she has a hired driver, concerned about potential gossip surrounding her financial status. She settles into allowing Hoke to open her door and drive her, but as soon as she actually learns to trust and rely on Hoke, she drops all expected behaviors, ultimately opening her own door and letting Hoke take on the role of friend and confidant. These actions might even go unnoticed to some audience members, but Williams is to be commended for subtle, yet effective direction that gives visual clues to the metamorphosis.
Similarly, when Hoke reveals to Daisy that he can’t read, she sees an opportunity to return to her beloved vocation as a teacher and helps him learn to read.
Among the many highlights of the play, no moments are more perfectly presented than the work’s final scenes when Miss Daisy and Hoke are both reaching the twilight of their lives. With slight tremors in the voices and movement, Speir and Robinson both alter their physical presence to reflect the ravages of age and they do so effectively, never over-exaggerating or simplifying to the point of parody, instead playing it perfectly convincingly real. By play’s end the audience genuinely feels as if we are watching two longtime friends sharing one final holiday visit. And what could be more beautiful than that?
Driving Miss Daisy wraps its three-week run at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre (108 Donelson Pike) with evening performances thru Saturday, August 31 with dinner service at 6 p.m. and show beginning at 7 p.m. Dinner and Show tickets are $30 for Adults, $20 for Children 12 and under. As always, the dinner is perfectly themed to match the show, with a delicious decidedly southern menu of meatloaf, green beans, mashed potatoes, fried green tomatoes and peach cobbler served piping hot. Of course you could opt for Show Only tickets for $25 for Adults or $15 for Children 12 and Under, but why on earth would you miss that meal? Limited tickets are available for Friday and Saturday night performances. Call 615.883.8375 for tickets and availability.
Next up at The Larry Keeton Dinner Theatre from October 10-26 is Little Shop of Horrors. CLICK HERE for tickets or more information.
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What a lovely review. We at Driving Miss Daisy thank you .
Great review, Jonathan! Thanks for supporting local theatre.