‘Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” is just as timely and delicious as it was 50 years ago
Info Headline
“Will Success Soil Rock Hunter?”
Where: American Century Theatre, Theatre II, Gunston Arts Center, 2700 S. Lang St., Arlington
When: 8 p.m. Jan. 20; 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; through Feb. 6
Info: $26 to $32; 703-998-4555; americancentury.org
In the mid 1950s, George Axelrod wrote a funny play about human values — or lack of them — and about people selling out for the sake of fame, stardom and money.
Now the American Century Theatre is reviving that play, “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” and it doesn’t seem dated at all. Perhaps in five decades, the notion people still will make Faustian deals to get their dreams fulfilled has intensified, not abated. Axelrod is clear about the consequences of that greed.
The play begins with a meek, untalented journalist named George MacCauley (Donald Osborne) coming to the New York apartment of Hollywood’s most famous sex-goddess, Rita Marlowe, to interview her. Kari Ginsburg is delightful as the bubble-headed Rita, who shimmies her way through life, pursing her lips and giving men bright red lipstick kisses.
There are plenty of men surrounding Rita. There’s a successful playwright, Michael Freeman (John Tweel), who has had one hit and now has writer’s block, a big-time, blustery Hollywood mogul, Harry Kaye (Craig Miller), and a slick agent named Irving LaSalle (Steve Lebens).
Axelrod clearly had fun with this last character, as he gave LaSalle another role, too: He’s the devil, ready to sell poor, unsuspecting George whatever he wants in exchange for his soul — in increments of 10 percent. Of course George wants money, a beautiful girlfriend and fame. LaSalle, deftly portrayed by Lebens as a smooth-talking manipulator, makes those dreams come true.
Director Ellen Dempsey has a solid cast to work with in both the major and minor roles. Leigh Anna Fry is well cast as the fluttery secretary. James Finley is hilarious as Bronk Brannigan, Rita’s muscle-bound husband who gets into a very credible fistfight with slender, unathletic George.
In the end, Axelrod comes down on the side of self-awareness as his characters realize that making their own success in life is better than having it handed to them on a silver platter. In the ACT production, thanks to Dempsey’s direction, the play isn’t preachy or pretentious. It’s a delicious cautionary comedy about human desire any time, anywhere.
