Sunday night my wife and I attended Triad Stage to see The Little Foxes, a play by Lillian Hellman. As we walked to our seats, our eyes were immediately drawn to the magnificent set, which commands the theater space. First impressions can be compelling; the set was so visually stunning my feelings were ambivalent One the one hand I eagerly anticipated the first act of the play while on the other hand I wondered what affect it would have on the actors. Fortunately, the masterful set design proved to be the perfect vehicle for this play; as a matter of experience, the sets used at Triad Stage during the years we have been ticket holders have always been artfully constructed with the highest quality of craftsmanship.
When the play commenced the first lines uttered were a jumble. For nearly ten minutes it was very difficult to understand the actors; perhaps, they suffered from a collective case of jitters; however, once the actors hit their pace with timing and elocution, the performance level matched the set design with few reservations.
Since the location of The Little Foxes was is in the south and very probably based on Hellman’s hometown, New Orleans, I was expecting the characters to be more authentically southern, especially the accents. It was difficult to fully appreciate the complexity of Regina Giddens as the character’s words were often slurred giving the impression many times that she was more tipsy than scheming; the absence of an identifiable accent can be a virtue in some roles but I think Regina Giddens is most effectively portrayed with a believable southern accent. While Birdie Hubbard slides into a passable accent, Ben Hubbard seems most often to be a parody of himself, Oscar Hubbard needed more development, and Leo Hubbard muddled. Of all the characters, Horrace Giddens was the most true to my ears.
The essential focus of Hellman’s play is still relevant with few alterations and I think that is one of the play’s aspects that makes it a good choice for today’s theater goers. The final act might be more dramatic if Alexandra Giddens continues to play the piano but does not speak as Regina Giddens drags herself all alone up those ponderous circular stairs of the Giddens’ house. Hellman may have suggested that The Little Foxes was a sort of Everyman play by the derivation of her title; however, if a specific locale is selected for the play, the acting may be more effortless and believable if the action is consistent with that locale. Despite the issues I’ve cited The Little Foxes is great entertainment and well worth seeing, in fact, I’d suggest purchasing season tickets.
