"Gene & Gilda"
Tipping Point Theatre
Northville, Mich.
Until May 3
Other than being a fan of Willy Wonka, I’m perhaps too young to fully appreciate the cultural impact of comedic actors Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner. And, until recently, I had no knowledge of their romantic and professional relationship. Tipping Point Theatre’s production of Cary Gitter’s “Gene & Gilda” shines a light on the couple, exploring the people behind the laughs and the highs and lows of love.
The play stars Kevin O’Callaghan as Gene and Kristin Shields as Gilda, directed by Brian Sage. It follows the trajectory of the couple’s intense relationship from start to finish, told in flashbacks following Gilda’s death. Gene is giving his first interview since her passing, and when asked, declines to speak about their relationship. But a fantasy Gilda returns to life in his mind, and we see the actors relive key moments of the couple’s time together on stage.
We see their first meeting on the set of “Hanky Panky,” where a starstruck Gilda chastises Gene for not being familiar with her work. We see her break down his walls, forging a whirlwind relationship soon after their first encounter. We watch them support each other as they face career pitfalls and bloom when they share their creative energies. We watch Gene support Gilda through to her death from ovarian cancer, ending a passionate relationship after eight years.
Familiarity with the famous couple was not necessary for understanding or appreciating the show. My friend had less knowledge of Gene and Gilda than I did, and we both enjoyed watching a sweet love story.
There was no doubt that most of the audience around me knew their work – especially since Gilda was a Detroit native – and I’m sure felt a sense of nostalgia as the actors re-enacted some of Gilda and Gene’s most famous characters. From my limited knowledge, I thought O’Callaghan and Shields portrayed the mannerisms of the actors well. Both stated in previous interviews their goal was to capture the essence of their characters, not impersonate them, which was apparent to me.
Shields portrayed Gilda's personality as larger than life. She entered with big hair and in a blaze with an almost relentless intensity that was both quirky and charming. O’Callaghan as Gene was a calm counterbalance, sweet but hesitant, increasingly passionate as their relationship grew. Their chemistry was palpable; you felt their ceaseless devotion to each other and a synergistic energy that would be the romantic aspiration of most. My favorite moments were the silly slow dances between the two that highlighted their quirky personalities as well as their love for one another.
The play was not as funny or as sad as I expected. It lived in a sweet, romantic comedy zone. While there were sad moments, it focused more on the love between the couple, not on the devastation of loss – perhaps because the ending is not a surprise and not drawn out. But whether you are a fan of the actors or have never heard of them, “Gene & Gilda” is an interesting portrait of a creative couple, what it means to love and to lose, and an overall charming romantic comedy.
