The Little Foxes for Rockdale
Wealth versus Morality... sound familiar?
The Guild Theatre (Rockdale NSW) presents The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman and directed by Bill Ayers from February 17 – March 18 2017
It is 1900 in a small Alabama town where ruthless, moneyed siblings of the Hubbard clan are attempting to negotiate a lucrative deal. If successful they will bring northern manufacturing to their southern cotton fields and accumulate far greater wealth than they have already. Brothers Oscar and Benjamin, along with sister Regina, will stop at nothing to obtain the necessary funds to secure their plan. As a result, collateral damage accumulates in the lives and relationships around them. Where will it end?
Watching all of this take place are their servants who witness the blind ambition, cruelty and arrogance first hand. As servant Addie states, “There are people who eat the earth and other people who stand around and watch them do it”. This observation ties in with the title, inspired by the Old Testament’s Song of Solomon quote “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: our vines have tender grapes.”
Director Bill Ayers was drawn to this play by the fact that is was based on the lives of actual people. Hellman was born into such a dynasty in that her southern relatives mirrored many of the business behaviours and consequences of the Hubbard family. However, as Bill notes, such business attitudes were not confined to the turn of the 20th century; it was, in fact, a sign of things to come in a growing, prosperous country such as the United States.
Bill is happy to report that the rather large and accomplished cast was relatively easy to put together; drawn by an excellent script. Hellman writes a fascinating and searingly dramatic plot, using dialogue that leaps off the page. Adding to this are the wry observations of the servants contrasting with the arrogant and conniving dialogue of the Hubbard clan.
The Little Foxes was first presented by the Guild in 1979, directed by Hazel Plant and starred Jennifer Gilchrist as Regina, the famous villainess. This time Glenda Kenyon plays the wicked role of Regina.
Each character on this famously epic drama is beautifully drawn. Regina is a conniving, grasping woman who is eager for greater and greater wealth and will stop at nothing to get it. Glenda Kenyon, who has been treading the boards since childhood, is well known as a lead player in her 10 years at the Guild, adding to her impressive resume in the community musical theatre realm. Greg Kenyon, Glenda’s off-stage husband, plays Benjamin Hubbard, Regina’s conniving brother who, along with their brother Oscar, apply pressure to obtain funds through cruel and criminal means.
Vincent O’Neill returns to the Guild in the role of Oscar Hubbard. This is Vincent’s second production at the Guild, last seen in “Enchanted April” in 2015.
Roderick Chambers, last seen onstage in the 2014 production, I Ought To Be In Pictures, plays Horace Giddens, the long suffering, wheelchair bound husband of Regina.
Alexandra Giddons is the daughter of Regina and Horace, played by Eloise Tanti. This is Eloise’s second production at the Guild, having debuted onstage in It’s My Party (And I’ll Die If I Want To). Eloise is enjoying the challenge of expanding her piano skills for the role as well as perfecting the Southern dialect. The role is also challenging because, Alexandra, while only 16, must decide if she will be corrupted by greed like her mother or uphold her father’s morality.
The character of Birdie Hubbard is a stark contrast to Regina and a living casualty of the Hubbard clan’s domination, manipulation and cruelty. Married to Oscar who sought her family’s greater wealth in the union, she is a shadow of her former self and serves as a warning to Alexandra. This poignant role is shared by Catherine Waters and Beryl Ayers.
Together with James Carter who makes his stage debut playing “Leo Hubbard” and veterans Adrian Thompson, Donny Muntz and Sally Whiteley comes a production with a host of powerful characters who each play an integral role in exposing themes of corruption, greed and morality.
SEASON: February 17 to March 18, 2017.
BOOKINGS: 9521 6358 / www.guildtheatre.com.au
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