Strong performances boost what’s now a classic tale of race and friendship
Vintage Theatre has hit the trifecta with Driving Miss Daisy! Start with the Pulitzer Prize-winning script by Alfred Uhry, throw in three exemplary performances along with inspired direction, and Vintage ends up in the winner’s circle once again.
The Pulitzer Prize doesn’t always translate to a joyous evening in the theatre, but this time it does. Both brutally honest and uplifting, Driving Miss Daisy also manages to capture a rare comedic tone found among family members and those closest to us.
Set in Atlanta beginning in 1948, we are quickly introduced to the characters of Miss Daisy Werthan (Deborah Persoff), Hoke Colburn (Cris Davenport), and Boolie Werthan (William B. Kahn). Miss Daisy has just had another car accident and at age 72, her grown son, Boolie, believes it is time to take the car keys away from mom. As a proud Jewish woman, Daisy will not accept the fate prescribed by Boolie of being driven around by another human being, let alone a real chauffeur. Enter Hoke Colburn, a Black man hired by Boolie to fit the bill as Daisy’s driver.
Miss Daisy and Hoke mix like oil and water. Actually, it is Miss Daisy who is most resistant to Hoke and his ingratiating style. Eventually, Miss Daisy becomes tolerant of Hoke’s presence and over the course of the next 25 years, they become friends as poignantly proclaimed in the play’s final moments. Of course, it isn’t always a smooth ride, but deep down there is great affection between them.
As Miss Daisy, Persoff delivers a magnificent performance as the proud 72-year-old who ages before our eyes and eventually ends up in a facility for those with diminished capacity. Never missing a comedic beat, Persoff lights up the Vintage stage with magnificent delivery and perfect double takes. Having just seen her in The Inheritance, it is incredible to see the range she has as an actor, moving what seems to be effortlessly between the two storylines. Persoff is a treasure indeed.
As Hoke and Boolie, Davenport and Kahn are perfect foils for the irascible Miss Daisy. You can see the wheels turning as Davenport attempts to soothe his newfound charge. Eventually, he wins Miss Daisy over while still maintaining his relationship with Boolie as his actual employer. Hoke is glass-smooth and hilariously manages to squeeze a few dollars out of Boolie during a scene featuring a salary negotiation between the two. Davenport ages convincingly throughout the course of the play’s 25 years aided by the graying of his pronounced mustache. Like his character of Boolie, Kahn has a likable nature which adds enormously to the storyline. From his performance, you can tell there is great love between him and his mother. He gives a rock-solid performance.
As directed by Lorraine Scott, the play moves swiftly and with great purpose. Driving Miss Daisy is a character-driven play and Scott has successfully peeled away the layers of each character to expose the truth in their relationships. First and foremost, we see the relationship between Miss Daisy and Hoke, but equally important is the relationship between mother and son. And with a less pronounced relationship, Hoke and Doolie are at times conspiratorial compatriots in their handling of Miss Daisy. It is a well-directed production without being heavy-handed or emotionally manipulative.
This production of Driving Miss Daisy is a complete theatrical package and worthy of being in the winner’s circle.
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