Driving Miss Daisy

By Cynthia Davis 

It was a cold night in December. December 9, 2010  to be exact. I was on my way to Plaza College to join my LHU189 Modern Drama class. We were meeting up to ride the train together, off to Broadway to see the play Driving Miss Daisy. I was overly excited about seeing this play. The movie, starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, had been one of my favorite movies as a child. I loved the acting in the movie and the meaning of true friendship that was portrayed in the film. I had read the play for class, and I couldn’t wait to see how the play would be.

One of the reasons I was so excited to see this play was due to the actors who were portraying the lead parts. Vanessa Redgrave was starring as Miss Daisy, and James Earl Jones was staring as Hoke. Two great legends on stage together! I knew that there was no way I could be disappointed.

From the moment we stepped into the John Golden Theater, I felt as if I were in a whole new world: Miss Daisy’s world. The stage was so simple and fitting to the story: a simple house filled with a wooden staircase, a small stove, a table in the kitchen. Her son Boolie office was just as simple, with  a wooden desk and chair, nothing unusual or overly big to distract you from the actors or the story.

The magical part in the staging of the play was the way they used a wooden bench and steering wheel to create the scenes where Hoke was driving Miss Daisy around. Every time Hoke sat on that bench, he started up the engine, and the floor began to move around in circles. And every time, I felt like I was coming along for the ride with him and Miss Daisy.

My favorite part of the play was the acting, done beautifully by the two lead stars. I felt as if many would assume that, since both actors are older, remembering lines and conveying those lines on stage would be difficult for them. However, that was not the case to me. Ms. Redgrave and Mr. Jones portrayed their characters with such class and grace. Never once did I feel that their age was a hindrance to them as actors. I was in awe of their ability to show the depth and growth of these two characters in their words and mannerisms. We watched as these two characters aged over the years live on stage: from standing upright and tall to a simple hunch of their backs, from walking briskly to walking slowly often needing assistance, from speaking with powerful, forceful voices to calm, quiet ones.

Also, Ms. Redgrave and Mr. Jones had great chemistry with each other. While watching the movie, I was often overcome with emotions at many scenes, especially the scene where Miss Daisy was having a mental breakdown, and Hoke helped her out. In that scene, Miss Daisy let Hoke in on a secret that she had been keeping about her feelings for him. She said, “Hoke you’re my best friend.” It was such a simple statement,   spoken with so much emotion and meaning behind it. I found myself in tears while watching it in the movie and wondered if the same would happen while seeing it done on stage. Like clockwork, the tears formed in my eyes and quickly fell one by one down my cheeks.

Driving Miss Daisy was a wonderful play, filled with raw emotions, beautiful staging and outstanding acting. As we left the theater that night, the wind was blowing, and snowflakes were starting to fall. Winter was well on its way, but none of that was of importance to me. I was overcome with happiness. One of my many dreams had come true. I had just seen magic performed right before my eyes, and I was able to share that special moment with my sister, my favorite professor, and many I called friends.