Oh, Hayley! You Should Have Sung "Cobbler, Cobbler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   It finally happened this week, girls!  On Thursday, David and I went to see the play, "Party Face," starring my childhood idol, Hayley Mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    I just LOVE Hayley Mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Did I say that I just LOVE Hayley Mills????????????

                                     Let me make this abundantly clear--I just LOVE Hayley Mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Which is by way of saying that, were Hayley Mills not in this, not only would I not have gone, but the play might not have been produced.  I have to wonder whether Hayley put up some of her own money, because Isobel Mahon's comedic drama over reaches a bit; it wants to be in the quality vicinity of Brian Friel's "Dancing At Lughnasa"--which I was not crazy about, in the first place--and Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias."  Instead, it veers close toward standard sitcom--the kind of script that if Bea, Rue, and Estelle, were still alive, could do with Betty White as a "Golden Girls" episode.

                                     With the exception of Hayley Mills, most of the characters are archetypes--
Gina Costigan plays Mollie Mae, fresh out of the loony bin, after her husband leaves her.  Brenda Meaney plays Mollie older sister, Maeve, both of whom are the daughters of Carmel, played by Hayley Mills.  Completing the quintet is Allison Jean White, who, next to Hayley Mills, gives the most interesting performance, as Chloe, whose psychobabble I found annoying, until the façade beneath it is revealed.  Lastly, Klea Blackhurst  provides some comic relief as Bernie, Mollie's inmate from the asylum, whom nobody quite wants to have around.  Blackhurst does provide some intentional comic relief, but the best is what is caused unintentionally by her entrance--looking as though she just wandered in from a production of "The Killing Of Sister George," having just walked through the wrong stage door!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Which is by way of saying these actresses, while skilled, can only do so much with their assorted artificial roles.  Not even Amanda Bearse's  direction can drive them beyond the level they are weighted down by with Isobel Mahon's script.  If there is a culprit afoot, it is she.

                                         But, Hayley Mills--oh, my God, HAYLEY MILLS!   What she does is simply brilliant.  She takes the character of Carmel, and inverts her Disney image, so that, while looking stunning in gold lame pants and heels, comes off as a bit of a narcissistic, self-denying bitch.  But, with that Hayley Mills voice and face, she is still lovable.  Wouldn't it be great to see Hayley as Lady Macbeth--all sweetness and light, while stabbing everyone in the back?

                                           She even gets to do a few bars of "Over The Rainbow."  Which can be forgiven, because it is HAYLEY MILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  But, if Mahon had been smart, she would have had Carmel, in a nod to the actress' youth, which we love her for, sing "Cobbler, Cobbler."

                                            Hey, Hayley Mills is in town, on stage, and how often does that happen on this continent?  So make every effort while you can to see Miss Mills, and revel in her talent.

                                             As Pollyanna Whittier would say, "You'll be so glad you did."

                                             And here is Hayley, singing "Cobbler, Cobbler!!!!!!!!!!!"