Theatre / “Steel Magnolias”. At the ACT HUB, until May 20. Reviewed by SAMARA PURNELL.

THIS lively and lovely ensemble in “Steel Magnolias” presents a balanced performance between the six female cast members, whom we meet on the day of Shelby’s wedding.

The entire play takes place in Truvy’s hair and beauty salon where the women regularly come to get their hair and nails done. Self-deprecating and cheerful, Truvy is played by Helen McFarlane in a warmly confident, thoroughly likeable performance.

Truvy has just taken on an apprentice, Annelle (Katy Larkin) and immediately the women are keen to know all about her.

Following her move to Chinquapin, Annelle quickly finds her passion, and then finds the Lord. Now into crafting and Christian camps, her decorations and earnest prayers for the other ladies is very amusing.

Shelby, in a brilliant performance by Jess Waterhouse, and her momma, M’Lynn (Victoria Tyrrell Dixon) have a close relationship, but while Shelby is a breath of fresh air, lighting up the room and cheerful no matter what, M’Lynn is a harder nut to crack, continually worried about the impact of her daughter’s decisions.

Lainie Hart puts in a physically overt and dramatic performance as Ouiser, believably delivering the classic line, “I’ve just been in a bad mood for 30 years” (originally it was 40, but the age of the cast would have made that seem a stretch!)

The set design is detailed but not fussy, plausible and appealing, giving Annelle and Truvy’s characters plenty to work with. The pink and blue lighting suited the ’80s timeframe, and gave the salon a moody and suitably kitsch glow. It was subtly uneven in its brightness and lighting of the characters. A spotlight for the final few lines was unexpectedly jarring.

The rhythm and pacing of the play was well done, with four scenes set over a period of about two and a half years.

A commercial soundtrack punctuated the production. With a nice touch to gently transition Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” from the radio in the salon to the theatre speakers.

The southern accents are consistently maintained and plausible, only Larkin’s accent waivers, but as her character originates from another town it offers a reprieve.

Towards the end of Act 1, the characters move upstage and Dixon, who is quietly spoken was momentarily hard to hear. Her delivery at the end of the play, describing what has
occurred, was delivered with just the right blend of emotion and control.

Playwright Robert Harling’s “Steel Magnolias” opened off-Broadway in 1987, but it remains genuinely funny in this iteration.

The women engage in relatively harmless gossip and playful sarcasm, often about the men in their lives, who seem a rather basic bunch – M’Lynn’s husband (and warring neighbour of Ouiser’s) spends much of his time firing off shotguns at birds and contesting ownership of the magnolia tree in the garden.

The women are never blatantly nasty, which goes towards the appeal of the play. In fact, the flamboyant Clairee (Janie Lawson) is a new widow and misses her husband terribly. Clairee and Truvy, a soon-to-be empty nester, get on like a house on fire and Lawson and McFarlane have great chemistry.

In a heavy mist of hairspray and with copious amounts of hand-cream, the women deal with life’s tragedies in the same way as they have with everything else: with practical support, humour and empathy. And a great hairstyle.

“Steel Magnolias” was written as a tribute to southern American women, who seem as delicate as magnolias but are as tough as steel. But it is a testament to the bonds forged amongst women. There is comfort in family, friendship and faith.

These women have become confidants and companions to each other and no matter what life brings, they just, as Shelby would say: “Get on with it”.