WHAT IS the opposite of the saying ‘opposites attract?’ Well, those who packed into the theatre at Delph’s Millgate Arts Centre found out as a tale from Hollywood’s golden age was brilliantly brought to the stage.
Bette & Joan tells the story of the rivalry – on and off the screen – between acting greats Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.
Much is detailed about why the pair did not get on but this performance by Rachel Harrison (Bette) and Tracey Rontree (Joan) added that much more personal layer, one that led to our conclusion that the reason they did not get on was they were too alike.
And while the play is set in the dressing rooms of the pair as they made 1962 film Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? Topics and themes are as applicable today.
Joan is concerned about the effect TV is having on the film industry. You could easily replace those with streaming and TV.
The way the actors play the roles, however, leads to a major finding – they both hate each other because they are essentially of the same character.
After the audience is immediately transported into the era by classic Hollywood music, the characters – the only ones to appear on stage – grab the attention.
Yes, there are differences in how the points are delivered – Bette is much more to the point while Joan is much more prim and proper.
Even though she does describe herself as a ‘tough dame’ who has ‘got balls.’
And sometimes the delivery is so direct, there are swear words, mostly delivered by Bette.
Rachel and Tracy expertly handle several monologues – barring the scenes when both are in each other’s dressing room, they almost entirely deliver their lines on their own – as a number of facets to their hate-hate relationship are detailed.
The loves lost, the family struggles, the way they were at the top then plummeted before having ‘one more go’ with Baby Jane.
When they are together, the language and delivery is as vicious as you could get. Describing their interaction as a ‘verbal skirmish’ is putting it mildly.
And when we attended, the audience lapped it up, sitting in virtual silence throughout – the best reaction for performances so good.
Set perfectly, with Rachel and Tracey showing their abilities to change costumes on stage, Bette & Joan is a triumph for Saddleworth Players.
*BETTE & Joan runs until Saturday, February 25, performances starting at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £5 for under-18s and can be bought by clicking www.ticketsource.co.uk/millgateartscentre/bette-joan-by-anton-burge/e-rxrzbl.
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