Mack and Mabel

Synopsis

This is the story of Mack Sennter, undisputed King of Comedy in the silent movie era, and the Silent Movie star, Mabel Normand. The story starts in 1932 in Mack's old studios, where they are now making "talkies" much to his disdain. Mack reminisces and through his memories the story of their turbulent relationship and the magic of making movies in the early days of Hollywood unfolds. We are taken back to 1911 when it all began. Sennett is in the middle of making a two-reeler when the creditors come to close him down, in the middle of the chaos in walks Mabel, the kid from the Deli. She won't leave until she gets her 15 cents. Her natural comic talent is captured on film by Mack and before she knows it she is making movies. The next step is Hollywood. By this time both Mack and Mabel realise their feelings towards each other, but Mack's life is all about making movies and he won't let anything get in his way.

Our Review:

Michael Coveney - 12 July 2012

Good songs, shame about the show. It’s the same old story with this silent movie musical by Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart, which starts brightly but collapses in maudlin sentimentality after one last desperate tap dance in the sinking film studio.

Thom Southerland’s revival is sunk anyway by its technical deficiencies: an invisible live band, piped in from elsewhere in the building, and hideous, eardrum-assaulting over-microphoning (the losing grace in Parade here, too), create an alienating effect that is nowhere near Brechtian.

Most of the fast lyrics – Mabel in her deli days is “the girl with the pickles who hustles for nickels” – are swallowed, the slow ones over-sold. And Lee Proud’s choreography for “Hundreds of Girls” and the Keystone Cops sequence is so desperately energetic you feel in dire need of a good hot bath and rub down afterwards.

Handsome, chisel-featured [Norman Bowma...

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Latest User Review

Matthew - 4 January 2013:

Late to the party, but Coveney clearly just doesn't have an sense of good theatre. Mack and Mabel was sensationally good, the best thing on Fring in 2012 and one of 2012's Musical Theatre highlights. ...

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