Red Bus Londinium Life

Written by Graham Warrener, The Ecstasy of Hedy Lamarr is currently playing at the New Wimbledon Theatre as part of its fifth New Premieres season.

Billed as “a tale of beauty, brains and Bluetooth”, The Ecstasy of Hedy Lamarr is an accomplished two-hander that follows how a teenage Austrian Jew rose to fame in Hollywood while also becoming a pioneering inventor, recognised for her achievements mostly after her death.

Born in Austria in 1914 and once described as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Hedy Lamarr was an actress whose 1933 Czech film Ecstasy featured one of cinema’s first depictions of a female orgasm. Later she moved to the US and became a star of the MGM stable alongside the likes of Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and James Stewart. She married six times, with her sixth and final marriage being to her divorce lawyer, who she also divorced.

Beyond her film career, Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor. Her work with composer George Antheil during World War II on frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology laid the groundwork for today’s Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Frustrated when her invention was overlooked by the Navy, she threw her energy into supporting the war effort in other ways. She was a top bond seller (reportedly selling an astonishing $7 million worth of war bonds in a single evening) and volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen, where she served servicemen alongside other screen stars.

The production weaves in newsreel footage and archival images, compiled by Jake Sleet (video and sound), adding texture and context to her story. The paparazzi sound that accompanies this is effective but potentially a little over-used.

Suzy Bloom gives a captivating performance as Lamarr. Her accent work is impeccable: strongly Austrian in the early scenes, softening into a Hollywood tone later on. Bloom’s portrayal moves gracefully between youthful confidence and the confusion and isolation that come with ageing and fading fame. The loneliness and loss Lamarr experiences through distance, judgement and war are expressed with honesty and precision.

Paul Easom takes on multiple roles, including Lamarr’s father, husband, lover, a late-night TV host, and a policeman. Each is distinct and well-defined, showing varying degrees of empathy toward Lamarr and helping to round out her complex history.

Lamarr’s story is one well worth telling and this production, with its creative use of technology and assured performances, introduces her remarkable life to a new audience with warmth and intelligence.

[Thank you to New Wimbledon theatre for the gifted tickets for an honest review].