Hollywood: Where dreams are made and young stars live lives of luxury and adoration.
But behind the staged smiles and glittering spotlights of America’s dream factory lies a dark and cruel world where innocence is exploited and souls are sold in the pursuit of fame and fortune.
Written and performed by award winning South Australian actress/singer/writer/director Joanne Hartstone ‘The Girl Who Jumped Off The Hollywood Sign’ is a poignant exploration of the emotional, psychological and physical cost of chasing your dream in Tinsel Town. Set in the golden age of Hollywood the story unfolds through the eyes of young hopeful Evie Edwards who has climbed to the top of the Hollywood sign to end her life.
As the lights dimmed and the soundtrack of traffic noise silenced, a loud sob rang out across the room and the shaking figure of Joanne Hartstone as Evie emerged from the structure, her black dress, heeled shoes and hairstyle reminiscent of Hollywood icons like Judy Garland and Jean Harlow. Over the course of 70 minutes the audience listened to Evie’s tale of woe, from her childhood in the Hooverville slums of the Great Depression, to her journey to Hollywood and the never-ending struggle to be noticed in a city where appearance and talent are both valued and despised.
While most of the performance was delivered from her precarious perch on the Hollywood sign, Evie occasionally stepped down onto the sparse and dimly lit stage to re-enact her encounters with loved ones, celebrities, directors and movie moguls. Each new narrative allowed the audience to glimpse into her turbulent life and gain an understanding of the circumstances that led her to this final moment.
Joanne delivered an emotionally charged performance as the naïve and idealistic Evie and you could hear the pain and loneliness in her voice as she recounted her tale to the audience. While the performance was largely dialogue there were moments when Evie would burst into song – be it for an audition or a club performance – and Joanne’s impressively powerful voice echoed throughout the room. Her American accent was admirable but there were times when she sounded like Minnie Mouse and as the play drew on the once charming accent quickly became a little irritating.
Powerfully written and beautifully performed ‘The Girl Who Jumped Off The Hollywood Sign’ unashamedly explores the darker side of the Hollywood dream but unfortunately, it just wasn’t this reviewer's cup of tea.
