Presented by G.bod Theatre Company and the Mardi Gras Festival, Jeanette Cronin’s one-woman show Queen Bette kicks off the 2015 season at Old 505 Theatre.
The legendary Bette Davis commanded the screen with far more nuance than she displayed in real life. As her fame solidified, the reigning Warner Brothers star had a fierce reputation for her volatility and determination. Strung together from various interviews, screenplays and Davis’ autobiography The Lonely Life, this new portrait of a motion picture icon is a collaboration between Cronin and director Peter Mountford.
Cronin brings some serious gusto to her interpretation of Davis, with a large focus on her early years and rise to fame. Hailing from Massachusetts, we see the bright-eyed actress bursting with enthusiasm and self-confidence. Cronin conveys Davis’ relationship with her dedicated mother and distant father. She is a boisterous child who transforms into a headstrong adult.
The production is enhanced by thoughtful lighting design from Juz McGuire. As if viewed through a sepia lens, the silhouettes and soft lighting conjure up a different era. The set is the dressing room of a dejected film star, similarly stuck in time. At one point, Cronin draws a lavish ‘B’ in red lipstick on the mirror – her signature in lights. This resurrection of old-world glamour doesn’t feel too overstated; it plays out quite nicely.
While Cronin gives a powerful and assured performance, one might question whether it verges on melodrama. You can’t help craving a few moments of vulnerability. One of the more memorable scenes features Cronin reciting passages from All About Eve. Her tone is gentler and her guarded exterior begins to come down. It is also aesthetically compelling – we see the glowing tip of a cigarette and the scattered pages of the screenplay.
In spite of her glittering career and impressive list of Oscar accolades, it seems the misery of Bette Davis’ personal life was concealed with great care. You have to admire her toughness, her ambition and her verve. On the whole, this production showcases just that.
3.5/5 stars
Queen Bette is playing at the Old 505 Theatre until Sunday March 15.
