I think we’ve all seen (or at least have said we’ve seen) Driving Miss Daisy, the 1989 film starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy. Well, like many Oscar-winning films, it was originally a play (written by Alfred Uhry), and the new Broadway revival starring James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave (what a pair!) is an interesting look back at an unlikely friendship during the Civil Rights era.
Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones: “What on Earth is this a map of?”
The story is simple: Daisy (Vanessa Redgrave) is an elderly wealthy Jewish woman who can no longer drive, so her son hires her a chauffeur, Hoke (James Earl Jones). The story spans nearly 30 years, from the early 1940s through the 1960s, a time period that is known for its racial tension and upheaval. Since Hoke is African-American and Daisy is Jewish, the relationship between Daisy and Hoke is one of particular uniqueness and interest. The story is told through a series of vignettes, separated by a few years, that each highlight a particular moment of progress in their driver/passenger relationship.
“I’m just gonna go sit on my stool.” “Fine! For Pete’s sake. Grumble grumble…”
My personal issue with the play itself is that it is very open-ended. Just when a scene starts getting interesting, it cuts off, and a new scene begins, and you have to start over, re-contextualizing yourself and filling in the intervening years. This sort of thing happens very often, in fact it is the modus operandi of the script, but it renders the evening somewhat unsatisfying by the end. This isn’t to say that the performances aren’t great: James Earl Jones plays a very believable gentleman chauffeur; his buttery voice is absolutely euphoric to hear in all its glory in person (I sometimes wished he narrated my life soundtrack). Vanessa Redgrave as Daisy plays a character that is sometimes difficult to like – a kind of crotchety, set-in-her-ways old woman, and I’m not sure I ever really get to like her. However, that’s probably not the fault of the actor as much as it is how the character is written.
I forgot what corded telephones look like. Good thing we have period shows to remind us!
The show is basically written for you to fill in the blanks. There aren’t a whole lot of concrete answers, but it leaves plenty of room for you to make up your own story. It’s a show that everyone should know, if nothing else because it is a classic play (and a classic movie). Driving Miss Daisy is currently playing at the Golden Theater on 252 West 45th St in New York, NY. Check out some clips here!
