Lisa McCune, Belinda Giblin and an outstanding six-woman ensemble prove Robert Harling’s timeless stage classic remains as powerful on stage as it has been on screen for nearly four decades.
by Paul Cashmere
There is a reason Steel Magnolias has endured for almost 40 years. Robert Harling’s deeply personal story of friendship, resilience and loss continues to resonate because it speaks to universal experiences with warmth, humour and devastating honesty. Now playing at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, this Australian production directed by Lee Lewis captures everything that made both the original stage play and the iconic 1989 film enduring classics while reminding audiences that the story was always written for the theatre first.
Most audiences know Steel Magnolias through Herbert Ross’ celebrated 1989 film featuring Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis and Daryl Hannah. Yet before Hollywood embraced the story, Harling had written it as a stage play inspired by the death of his sister Susan, who died from complications related to Type 1 diabetes following the birth of her son. That intensely personal foundation remains the emotional heartbeat of the production.
What makes the Australian production particularly impressive is its discipline. Unlike the film, where husbands, children and townspeople appear throughout the story, the stage version relies entirely on six women. Every scene unfolds inside Truvy’s beauty salon in the fictional Louisiana parish of Chinquapin. Through nothing more than conversation, changing hairstyles and the passing of seasons, the audience experiences weddings, births, illness, heartbreak and ultimately profound loss without ever leaving the salon.
It is remarkable how completely the production tells the story with such economy. There are no supporting players, no elaborate scene changes and no cinematic shortcuts. Instead, director Lee Lewis allows the strength of Harling’s writing and the chemistry of the cast to carry every emotional turn. The result is intimate theatre at its best.
The Australian cast honours the film’s celebrated performances without attempting imitation. Mandy Bishop makes Truvy Jones entirely her own while acknowledging the warmth and generosity Dolly Parton brought to the role on screen. Bishop’s salon owner becomes the centre of this community, dispensing hair advice, friendship and humour in equal measure. She delivers many of the play’s best-known lines, including “Laughter through tears is my favourite emotion”, with effortless timing that earns genuine laughs rather than nostalgic applause.
Jessica Redmayne faces perhaps the most daunting task as Shelby Eatenton, the role that earned Julia Roberts an Academy Award nomination. Redmayne finds Shelby’s optimism, determination and vulnerability without leaning on Roberts’ performance. Her portrayal reminds the audience that Shelby understands the risks she faces but chooses to embrace life regardless.
Lisa McCune anchors the production as M’Lynn Eatenton, the role immortalised by Sally Field. McCune has long been one of Australia’s most respected performers, and her presence immediately elevates the production to world class. She carefully builds M’Lynn’s emotional journey across the evening before delivering the heartbreaking final scenes with remarkable restraint and authenticity. Rather than seeking theatrical excess, McCune allows the grief to emerge naturally, making the climax all the more devastating.
Belinda Giblin is equally memorable as Ouiser Boudreaux, originally played by Shirley MacLaine. Giblin relishes Ouiser’s famously sharp tongue, delivering classics such as “I’m not crazy. I’ve just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!” with impeccable comic timing. Yet beneath the sarcasm she reveals the affection that makes Ouiser one of Harling’s richest characters.
Tracy Mann brings wit and elegance to Clairee Belcher, the role played in the film by Olympia Dukakis. Her exchanges with Giblin provide many of the evening’s biggest laughs, particularly Clairee’s immortal invitation, “If you can’t say anything nice about anybody, come sit by me.”
Lotte Beckett completes the ensemble as Annelle Dupuy, following the path first established by Daryl Hannah. Beckett beautifully charts Annelle’s transformation from shy newcomer to confident member of the community, giving the production another emotional thread alongside Shelby’s story.
Visually, Simone Romaniuk’s colourful salon set immediately establishes the world of Truvy’s beauty parlour, while her costumes capture the late 1980s without overwhelming the characters. Paul Jackson’s lighting and Brady Watkins’ sound design subtly reinforce the passing of time as the years unfold within the same familiar setting.
Steel Magnolias succeeds because Harling never allows tragedy to overwhelm humour. The laughs arrive naturally through friendships built over decades, making the emotional moments feel earned rather than manipulated. The production reminds audiences why so many of the play’s one-liners became part of popular culture, but it also reveals the emotional depth beneath every joke.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of this production is that audiences familiar with the film never feel they are watching a reduced version of a Hollywood favourite. Instead, they discover that the stage play stands confidently on its own. With only six actors and a single set, Lee Lewis and this exceptional Australian cast recreate the complete emotional journey of Steel Magnolias with remarkable clarity, proving that the simplest theatrical storytelling can often be the most powerful.
Steel Magnolias continues at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre until 16 August before concluding its national tour.
https://www.steelmagnoliasplay.com
Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions PresentSTEEL MAGNOLIAS
BY ROBERT HARLING
By Arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical
On behalf of Samuel French Ltd, A Concord Theatricals Company
Creatives:
Director – Lee Lewis
Set and Costume Designer – Simone Romaniuk
Lighting Designer – Paul Jackson
Composer & Sound Designer – Brady Watkins
Producer – Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions
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