15 April 2026
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3***
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Robert Harling’s 1987 part biographical play has seen great success since its first production and adaptations for film and television have enhanced its reputation. Added to this is a range of female roles which has endeared it to production companies. Set in a beauty parlour in Louisiana in the late 1980s, the story is largely comic, but with a serious thread underlying the levity.
What strikes you first in this Skipp Production’s version at the OSO Arts Centre,  is Ian Nicholas’s design which is so very full of detail and underlines the period and tone perfectly. A set dressed to the nines, without going for overkill; the carefully crafted posters, magazines and hairdressing accoutrements all provide a spot-on backdrop.
The play is structured into four scenes starting with a long exposition which rather affects the rest of the piece. This is a slow moving scene as the characters are introduced, but at times was too ponderous and after nearly an hour it felt overwritten and you didn’t feel much closer to the characters and this initial disconnect continued, though the personalities and back stories do come to life more readily from here on.
That said, dominating proceedings, Kate Harbour, offers a warm and endearing Truvy, the salon-owner; wise-cracking and the centre of the group of friends, her employment of the awkward and down-on-her-luck Annelle kicks the story off. As the newbie, Joanna Strafford brings a wonderful innocence and gawkiness to the role and handles to development of her character well. Isabella Heaver is a ray of sunshine as the positive Shelby as she faces personal challenges, with Nova Skipp as her strong-minded mother, M’Lynn. The relationship between the two of them is at the heart of the story but the lack of warmth between the characters results in M’Lynn’s grief, in the final scene, being rather less than convincing. Zoe Ann Bown is the wise older lady, Clairee, with a glint in her eye and some cracking one-liners, though her voice did dip to just above the audible at times. The last character to appear, Ouiser, played by Robin Miller, is almost like an outsider and her boisterous manner rather grates, only redeeming herself nearer the end of the play by showing some heart. Accents range in accuracy a little, but generally you have some idea where you are.
Having not engaged from the off, the emotion which might be generated by the final scene was missing. This isn’t to say that the performers don’t all work their socks off, but the necessary depth to create a tear jerking climax doesn’t present itself.
This is a challenging and quite long play, which provides a director with a lot to think about. Jason Moore is a hugely talented and the lightness of his touch is much in evidence, but there is only so much that can be done with any individual play and he avoids over-directing in order to squeeze more out.
There is much to enjoy here, the humour is gentle, rather than creating gales of laughter and the characters and story are interesting and if it didn’t chime with this reviewer. The standard of production cannot be argued with though and it is a credit to all involved.
Cast
Clairee Belcher – Zoe Ann Bown
Truvy Jones – Kate Harbour
Shelby Eatenton – Isabella Heaver
Ouiser Boudreaux – Robin Miller
M’Lynn Eatenton – Nova Skipp
Annelle Dupuy – Joanna Strafford
Creatives
Writer – Robert Harling
Director – Jason Moore
Producer – Nova Skipp for Skipp Productions
Associate Producer – OnBook Arts
Design – Ian Nicholas
Photo Image – Ian Nicholas
