Rob Stevens – Haines His Way
In Jack Rushen’s new play, Taming the Lion, currently playing at Beverly Hills’ Theatre 40, the playwright looks at a short time frame in 1933 when Haines’s relationship and his scandal-ridden extracurricular escapades could no longer be tolerated by studio boss Louis B. Mayer. Even though the script has Haines begin and end the play talking to the audience about what was about to happen/what did happen, the play’s main character seems to be Mayer (Jeffrey Winner) rather than Haines (Landon Beatty). It’s Mayer’s desk and office that dominates center stage in Jeff G. Rack’s splendid set design. As written by Rushen and played by Winner, Mayer comes off more as a buffoonish clown than a feared mogul. Irving Thalberg (Kevin Dulude) and Jimmie (Sean Ross) are reduced to nearly bit player roles. Mayer’s secretary Ida (Jean Mackie, channeling Eve Arden) has a larger role and better dialogue than either character. Read more…