Driving Miss Daisy

 

Driving Miss Daisy is a heart-warming one act play about a friendship built on two chalk and cheese personalities that help one another to view the world differently. The trio of consummate performers met the needs for emotive and solid performances to convey the story’s spirit of companionship.

Presented by QUT Gardens Theatre & Hit Productions
QUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane

Sunday, 14 October, 2010

Driving Miss Daisy is a heart-warming one act play about a friendship built on two chalk and cheese personalities that help one another to view the world differently. The trio of consummate performers met the needs for emotive and solid performances to convey the story’s spirit of companionship.

Set in Atlanta, Georgia – southern America – the story spans 25 years from 1948 until 1973. It takes place in a time when both the Jewish religion and the African-American race suffered much prejudice.

The straight-forward, difficult and Jewish Miss Daisy has unofficially become unsafe to drive and her son Boolie insists he hire a chauffeur against her wishes. African-American Hoke becomes a prime candidate as he is looking for work and a very “easy-going” personality to cope with Boolie’s mother. The two develop a curious relationship as they learn to cope with each other’s disagreeable traits. In fact, they fit better than they realise and the audience watch as it takes them 25 years to realise just how much they really do mean to one another.

The play touches on several issues but it’s the remarkable bond that develops between Miss Daisy and Hoke that is a platform for a beautiful story. Hoke helps the fiercely independent Miss Daisy to soften and allow herself to open up to others.

Debra Lawrance, most famously known as Home and Away’s Pippa, gives a brilliant performance as the stubborn, sarcastic, yet graceful Miss Daisy. She resisted the charms of Hoke with hilarity and subtly allowed her walls to come down over time. Her ageing mannerisms were eloquent and reflected the character’s inner-changes also.

Tamblyn Lord played Lawrance with a depth that produced a genuine connection between the two. The character had quirkiness and gentleness that made him very loveable and Lord let those qualities in Hoke shine.

Son Boolie was played with insistence and patience by Brian Davison. While it seemed the role within the story is predominantly there to tie together the two starring characters, his relationship with his mother was authentic and he gave good performance.

Set design by Shaun Gurton was largely a screen backdrop of a road – the perfect setting for scenes exchanged between Miss Daisy and Hoke while travelling in the car. Off to the left and right of the stage were a few simple and bland props representing the homes of Miss Daisy and Boolie, but they served their purpose.

The highlight of the story is most definitely the touching ending when Miss Daisy and Hoke finally acknowledge their friendship and strong bond.

Driving Miss Daisy continues its tour around Australia.

To check out dates, please contact Hit Productions on (03) 9599 0899.