Having recently been assaulted, in
more ways than one, by “The Killing of Sister George” at Long
Wharf , it was a true relief to sit in
the dark at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford
and watch three accomplished actors weave their magic as they slowly yet surely
created characters that resonated and touched both the heart and the soul. I’m
talking about the indomitable Daisy Wertham, the wise, down-to-earth Hoke
Colbum, and the much put upon Boolie Werthan, three people who, over a span of
25 years, come to learn much about each other, themselves and the ways of the
heart. I’m talking about Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize winner, “Driving Miss
Daisy.”
Set in Atlanta , the story is a simple one. Miss
Daisy (Waltrudis Buck), a well-off Jewish widow, is getting on in years and,
though she vociferously says nay, has become a road menace. Her latest accident
prompts her doting son, Boolie (Bristol Pomeroy) to seek a driver for his
cantankerous mother. He interviews and hires Hoke (Marvin Bell), but Miss Daisy
will have none of it, so for the first five days of his employ, Hoke sits in
the kitchen with the cook. But on the sixth day (the same number of days, Hoke
points out in a phone call to Boolie, God took to create all that is), her cajoles
her into letting him drive her to the local Piggly-Wiggly. On the way they have
their first of many arguments about driving, appropriate routes and who’s
actually in charge.
What unfolds from these opening
scenes is a graceful, gentle examination of the ways of the heart. As time
passes, Miss Daisy and Hoke grow closer as the world they live in begins to
radically change. They grow older and the world turns harsher and more violent,
forcing them to create a bond that will shield them from the vagaries and
vicissitudes of life. In the end, all they have is each other…and it is enough.
In a touching moment, Miss Daisy reaches out to Hoke and says, “You are my best
friend.”
Under the direction of Stevie
Zimmerman, this strong cast draws the audience into their characters’ world, framed
by a bare-bones, turn-table set by Tina-Louise Jones that trusts the audience
to fill in the blanks. At the center of it all is Miss Daisy, and Buck is, to
put it simply, luminous. Beneath Marcus Abbot’s subtle yet effective lighting,
Buck shimmers and glows, up-tight and upright yet creating an aura that hints
at the girl that still lurks beneath the iron-willed façade. She deftly handles
Daisy’s gradual change of heart about Hoke, and about the life that swirls
about her, facial expressions and body language often conveying more than the
lines she speaks. It’s a warm, wise performance.
Marvin Bell as Hoke Colbum
Equally nuanced is Bell ’s Hoke. He, even more than Buck, relies
on body language to convey undertones. Respectful yet never subservient, his
Hoke effectively conveys the wisdom gleaned from living in a society where
“truth” is a matter of who is speaking and the color of the speaker’s skin. Bell ’s eyes, especially
in the driving scenes -- acted out on two plain, rectangular boxes -- speak volumes.
Bristol Pomeroy as Boolie Werthan
Buck’s and Bell ’s performances are underpinned by the
steady, sure Pomeroy, who is, by and large, charged with reacting to the two
other characters. This he does with a great deal of style, creating a sounding
board for Miss Daisy and Hoke while, at the same time, filling out his own
conflicted character, that of a good man of business who must deal with the
realities of segregation and religious prejudice.
Having seen this play several
times, I am still moved by its final scenes, for these are perhaps some of the
most moving scenes in modern American theater. The eating of the pie (I won’t
explain, for those who haven’t seen the play) is a physical moment that is
riveting and, as handled by Buck and Bell, cannot help but bring tears to the
eyes, tears of joy, for there is a marvelous affirmation of humanity in the
closing scene of “Miss Daisy,” and all involved – especially lighting director
Abbott – understand this. In a world beset by strife, two people caring for
each other, in such an intimate way, makes the heart glow.
There are many holiday productions
currently running, but if you want to be embraced by the spirit of giving, and
loving, then between “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol,” go see “Driving
Miss Daisy,” for the play captures the essence of the season, which is, after
all, all about what we give to each other out of love.
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