“I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”
Few lines capture the heart of Steel Magnolias quite like Shelby’s famous declaration, and the Lyric Theatre’s latest production brings that spirit to life with warmth, humour and sincerity.
Set in Truvy’s Louisiana beauty salon, Robert Harling’s much loved play follows six women whose friendships help them navigate life’s highs and lows. Directed by Emily Foran, this production balances comedy and drama, with the audience treated to plenty of laughs along the way.
The cast work well together, creating relationships that feel believable and lived in. The humour lands consistently throughout the evening, with sharp one liners and playful exchanges drawing regular laughter from the audience. It’s almost a touch Golden Girls, another 80’s phenomenon. It is easy to understand why this story has remained popular for almost four decades.
Special mention must go to Carol Moore as Ouiser Boudreaux. Every time she appeared on stage there was a noticeable lift in energy. Carol delivers some of the production’s funniest moments and brings a strong presence to the stage, making Ouiser one of the most memorable characters of the evening.
While the humour is undoubtedly one of the production’s strengths, it occasionally comes at the expense of the drama as it slightly undermines one of the play’s most devastating moments. A little more emotional weight, pause and reflection could have allowed the scene to resonate more deeply before the one liners returned. At the same time perhaps it highlights how we can sometimes use humour to diffuse a situation and add a little light into a dark moment.
It is also a reminder of a time before smartphones and social media, when friendships were built through face to face conversations and communities were found in everyday places.
Steel Magnolias remains an engaging and heartfelt story about friendship, resilience and the people who support us through life’s challenges. This is an enjoyable production with strong performances and plenty of charm.
