Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre – until 18 October 2025
Reviewed by Carly
4****
Wimbledon brings you the story of Hedy Lamarr (Suzy Bloom) once acclaimed to be to be the most beautiful women of her time an aspiring actress in Hollywood, matched with a clever mind, but although she had fame and fortune she was soon forgotten leaving her career in tatters with the only connection to the outside world being her telephone! Her story starts in front of us on stage with Lamarr sitting at a police station facing a detective (Paul Easom) after being arrested in a parking lot after leaving a department store on Hollywood’s Boulevard with a substantial amount of goods holding a very high price tag! She denies all knowledge saying that it’s just a misunderstanding and that her manager should have been there to sort it all out. Even though a store detective previously has admitted and witnessed Lamarr being in the same situation before! She holds two royalty cheques in her handbag totalling over the amount of 10,000 claiming why would she shoplift when she has this amount sitting in her handbag! All this happening whilst she’s trying to relaunch her career only causes much devastation and despite her few appearances on tv. Her career ends abruptly as she gets outcasted from her new movie roll only to discover this whilst on a horrifying interview on TV! The production takes you through her life with only two actors playing multiple roles and doing it extremely well. Her journey starts as a young girl who was exploited at a young age and survived six marriages living the high life to being withdrawn insecure lonely whilst struggling with a drug addiction quite common of that time in Show Bizz.
What separates Lamarr from other stars is her brilliant mind where she co invented a secret communications system later ending up on the inventers hall of fame never knowing the full significance of her work!
Suzy Bloom played her part exceptionally well with much confidence depicting a powerful intelligent Hollywood star as well as showing a withdrawn and introverted character! Whilst Paul Easom gave a strong performance transitioning to different roles from police detective to Hedy’s Husband and film producer which was a pleasure to watch and very believable.
All in all, a great production and enjoyable production to watch!