Horton speed the plow may be minor mamet, but in its present incarnation at the lyric stage it is elegant and amusing, a wellwrought demonstration of the adage that the medium is the message. It begins in the office of bobby gould, who has just been promoted to head of production at a huge hollywood film studio. Speed the plow opened at lincoln center to soldout seats. Novels, magazines and scripts are all thrown about the table. Speed the plow was, simply put, intoxicating the first time i read it because of its rhythmic intensity. Speedtheplow words on plays 2008 american conservatory. Both see the script as a ticket to the really big table where the power is. Mamets drama and themes well beyond parochial showbiz satire. The original broadway production of speedtheplow opened on may 3rd, 1988. By turns hilarious and chillingthe culmination of this playwrights work to dateriveting theater. Admittedly the choice would be even better if the radiation book didnt sound quite so worthy. Scene 1 of speed the plow opens with bobby gould in his new but as yet undecorated office, debunking the prose of a heavysounding book about radiation. This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of speed the plow.
A brilliant black comedy, a dazzling dissection of hollywood cupidity and another tone poem by our foremost master of the language. Speedtheplow recoups, mercury poisoning and all the new. Jan 29, 2009 im glad to know the producers of speedtheplow have recouped their investment. Speed the plow audience divided over lindsay lohans. Theyre having fun down at the new repertory theatre in watertown, happily doing battle in david mamets war of words, speed the plow. Speed the plow 1988 is a play by david mamet which is a satirical dissection of the american movie business, a theme mamet would revisit in his later films wag the dog 1997 and state and main 2000. Speed the plow, by david mamet was written in 1988 and starred madonna in its first outing. A play and millions of other books are available for instant access. Speed the plow s broadway run is the most recent triumph of the pulitzer prizewinning authors astonishingly productive career. The beautiful geffen theater is the perfect setting for a revival of the show, directed by randall arney, which was nominated for a tony almost twenty years ago but still manages to. Charlie fox has a terrific vehicle for a hot male movie star, and he has brought it to his friend bobby gould, head of production for a major film company. David mamets speed the plow is infinitely more than a brutal satire on hollywood. She claims that the book is profound and important.
Reading david mamets, speedtheplow, felt like taking loads of stimulants and sitting in the corner of a hollywood producers office as he is first offered a chance at a movie with a big name that he just cant pass up before i jump ship and follow the producer and his temporary assistant to his house where she persuades and seduces this fellow to be a better man and produce an artsy adaptation of a book. Moira hudson in the nation agreed, saying speedtheplow says nothing about hollywood that hasnt already been said many times before, but mamet manages through his language and timing to breathe life into old cliches. Speedtheplows broadway run is the most recent triumph of the puli. It starred joe mantegna as bobby gould, ron silver as charlie fox, and making her broadway debut popicon madonna as karen. The second act of speed the plow takes place entirely in goulds apartment. July 2015 learn how and when to remove this template message god spede the plough original. But sadly for lindsay lohan, things didnt exactly go. Speedtheplow is often compared to other works about hollywood, and no fewer than five of the 18 essays in a 1997 collection about hollywood on stage discuss mamets play at some length. David mamets speed the plow is back on broadway for another goround of behind. The play opens in the office of a film producer, bobby gould. Glengarry glen ross a few seasons back was better, but there is likely to be little. Rose byrne and damon herriman in sydney theatre companys speedtheplow. Actress lindsay lohan makes her west end stage debut in david mamets satire speedtheplow.
May 04, 1988 by turns hilarious and chilling and, under gregory moshers exhilarated direction, wiretaut from start to finish speed the plow is the culmination of this playwrights work to date. It was a runaway success, not only because it is a riot of brilliant oneliners and a satire on the hollywood that had just provided mamet with such acclaim. In speedtheplow they are skirmishing over movie deals and percentages of the gross. A pair of motion picture producers decide whether to make a surefire. Charlie fox, played by chris ralph, bobby gould, played by john muggleton and karen, played by kyla gray, come together present a business and social dilemma. Thus david mamets speed the plow nails the center of hollywood dead on and in a way that only mamet can, with his testosterone charged and highly acerbic dialogue. Jul 18, 2012 speed the plow out of 4 by david mamet. Speed the plow, david mamets scathing black comedy about the silverscreen industry, is packed with juicy, profane, eminently quotable, laughinducing zingers.
Meanwhile, bobby bets charlie that he can seduce the secretary temp. Speed the plow is an exhilaratingly sharp, comical, disturbing play about the power of money and sex in hollywood, and how they corrupt two movie producers. Im a big mamet fan, and even work that is not his best is for me worth reading. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this speedtheplow study guide and get instant access to the following. Kevin spacey and jeff goldblum in speedtheplow, old vic. The obsession with radiation that characterises the bridge is a hallmark of cold war nuclear anxieties. Speed the plow broadway, speed the plow original cast list, original cast, current cast.
Tickets are available by calling 4157492228 or online at. Pulitzer prizewinning playwright david mamets new play about one woman who is put away for life, and another who is committed to her rehabilitation. Written in 1988, the play is extremely funny at times and deeply disturbing throughout, particularly in light of the recent harvey weinstein scandals. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Speed the plow is often compared to other works about hollywood, and no fewer than five of the 18 essays in a 1997 collection about hollywood on stage discuss mamets play at some length. Nov, 2016 mamet wrote speedtheplow off the back of 80s successes like the verdict and the untouchables, but at this point his patter hasnt been on the big screen since 2008s redbelt how much. The original broadway production of speedtheplow opened at the. Scene 1 of speedtheplow opens with bobby gould in his new but as yet undecorated office, debunking the prose of a heavysounding book about radiation.
Take our free speed the plow quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Speed the plow a play uv david mamet samuel french. And from folk, fine as thcy are, like you, cltarl, whcn you comc to mc for favors, or did you come up hcre to congralulatc mc on my new promotion. Speedtheplows broadway run is the most recent triumph of the pulitzer prize winning authors astonishingly productive career. Mamet wrote speedtheplow off the back of 80s successes like the verdict and the untouchables, but at this point his patter hasnt been on the big. This play, however, tackles this at a local, rather than a national, level. Speed the plough is a favorite of the traditional dances reconstructed by cecil sharp, appearing in his country dance book i and also in the community. Admittedly the choice would be even better if the radiation book didnt sound. This article needs additional citations for verification. As stated in the producers perspective, this is a theme mamet would revisit in his later films wag the dog 1997 and state and main 2000. The bridge, about radiation and the end of the world. David mamets speedtheplow is one of several successful plays he.
Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The man is very susceptible to the arguments of both fox and karen. Fox suggests that they make the book into a movie, and then. It was supposed to be her acting comeback, a triumphant debut on stage in londons west end in the production of speed the plow. The second act of speedtheplow takes place entirely in goulds apartment. Act i the play begins in the office of bobby gould, who has recently been promoted to head of production at a major hollywood studio.
I attended norbert butz opening night and was treated to mr. Yet speed the plow contains a third character and a second film project forces that collide to push mr. Even if its intoxication fades a bit in the aftermath of reading, enough of a glow lingers to make the time spent worthwhile. By turns hilarious and chilling the culmination of this playwrights work to dateriveting theater. This isnt mamets best play, but, on a rereading of this about twenty years after i saw a wonderful live performance of it, i was pleased at how the core themes still stand up well. Butz calling for lines throughout act i and reciting from the book for act 2. Actor jeremy piven, center, gestures during an interview at a postopening party for speed the plow in new york, oct.
Speedtheplow plot summary and study guide thoughtco. As an extra challenge, roger is playing in standard tuning, not the crosstuning he normally uses for this tune. Speed the plow is a 1988 play by david mamet that is a satirical dissection of the american movie business. Speedtheplow is david mamet s foray into the underbelly of the business aspect of hollywood. Lindsay lohans performance on press night as karen in director lindsay posners new london production of david mamets speed the plow was okay. Mamets show is a critique of the hollywood film industry and the fickle nature of the top dogs in charge. Speedtheplow is a 1988 play by david mamet that is a satirical dissection of the american. It is a study of male panic and the denial of redemptive grace. Nov 20, 2016 sydney theatre company and colonial first state global asset management present speed the plow, by david mamet, in the roslyn packer theatre, hickson rd, walsh bay, 8 november 17 december. In a talk before the performance, scott behrend, artistic and executive director of road less traveled, was effusive in his thanks to those in the soldout crowd who helped fund and supported the move, and to all the people who have supported the theater over the years. And this is where churchill begins her characters transformation, shifting from a sweetly earnest and hopeful woman to a woman in control of the situation and.
Aug 21, 2012 speed the plow in david mamets speed the plow, directed by teri lorettovalentik, portrays the emptiness within society and the movie industry. The opening production in road less traveled theatres beautiful new home at 456 main street is speedtheplow. Even more so than mamets bubbly electoral comedy november, also seen at the barrymore earlier this year, speed the plow is a catalog of our cultures corrosive corruption that mesmerizes even as it melts the humanity that holds us together. Charlie fox, played by chris ralph, bobby gould, played by john muggleton and karen, played by kyla. Speedtheplow quotes showing 12 of 2 life in the movie business is like the beginning of a new love affair. His job is to find suitable scripts to bring to studio head richard ross to be made into big hollywood movies. Speed the plow download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Speed the plow the title is derived from an old english farming phrase which was used to confer good luck and a swift and profitable plowing is about gould in the midst of the wilderness when it comes to making movies for the studio. It is comprised of three lengthy scenes involving the corporate dreams and strategies of hollywood executives. Speed the plow is playing at the american conservatory theatre, 405 geary at mason, san francisco through february 3rd. The troubled darling of the celebrity press shines in david mamets rapidfire hollywood. Speed the plow by david mamet directed by spiro veloudos at the lyric stage clarendon st, boston 617 4377172 through november 24th. The play sets its context with an epigram not to be recited in performance by william makepeace thackeray, from his novel pendennis. Speedtheplow goes inside hollywood new york daily news.
Speed the plow is a lean and mean play, with three characters who keep the readersviewers mind engaged throughout. Speed the plow in david mamets speed the plow, directed by teri lorettovalentik, portrays the emptiness within society and the movie industry. American conservatory theatres next production will be athol fugards blood knot opening on. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. The result was this impromptu rendition of speed the plow. Oct 09, 2015 provided to youtube by cdbaby speed of the plow matt brown greg reish speed of the plow. Michael billington guardian sitting through a david mamet play is like being caught in a sudden shower of verbal broken glass.
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