Speed-the-Plow

by David Mamet

Geffen Playhouse - February 15, 2007

Live Review by Amber Henson

Because I am apparently the new Indie 103.1 darling, I again won tickets from them—this time, for David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow, enjoying its first revival since its opening run in Chicago in the late ‘80s.  Mamet did not direct; Randall Arny did (more about that later).

My boyfriend and I were already planning on attending the production because it stars one of his favorite actresses, Alicia Silverstone; Silverstone was also in Mamet’s Boston Marriage at the Geffen—apparently he’s got a thing for her.

Speed-the-Plow is simply about a man who has been newly appointed as the head of production at a movie studio (Greg Germann).  His friend (Jon Tenney) drops by and says that he’s got a huge director who wants to direct a script that he has access to, and will film it for the head of production and that studio.  They’re very excited and convey this to the temp (Silverstone), who the head of production gives a ‘courtesy-read’ book to and tells her to come to his house that night to relay the story to him.  She comes by, infatuated with the book and convinces him to make that movie instead.  In the third act, there is conflict between the head of production’s friend and his new lover.

Because I won the tickets, I was entitled to an after-party, during which I was pleasantly surprised to find free beer and appetizers, along with a Q&A session with the director.  Poor Randall Arny.  The Q&A turned out to be something like if how I’m sure it is for Rick McCullum, the producer of the Star Wars prequels, when he does Q&As and gets asked “What did George think about this scene?” and “Can you tell me what Mr. Lucas has for breakfast?”  Arny got questions like “How much was Mamet involved?” (answer: he would drop by every so often) and “What changes did Mamet make to the script?” (answer: he changed some money figures since the show was written in 1988  and added a few key phrases to parts of the play to tweak the characters a bit).  Even when the audience tried to ask Arny some legit questions, like “Why is there no music over the scene changes?” it always came back to Mamet (answer: to produce any Mamet play, you have to sign a contract, and part of what is stipulated in it is that there is to be no recorded music during the play).  Well, hopefully, Arny knew what he was getting himself into.

If you’re in Los Angeles and you know anything, absolutely anything, about show business, go see this play because it is as sharp, witty, and appropriate as it was in 1988.