Gene Wilder Remembers Gilda – At The George Street Playhouse

Dec 17, 2024 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

Gene & Gilda celebrates two comic legends, who might be the funniest actors of the 20th century, Gene Wilder (Jonathan Randell Silver) and Gilda Radner (Jordan Kai Burnett) whose lives briefly connected (from 1981-1987). The show is a reflective love story, framed as Wilde’s first interview after the passing of his wife, Gilda. This one-act two-person show was written by Cary Gitter using material from memoirs and interviews. It offers a glimpse into the off-stage lives of this adorable celebrity couple. The performers breathe life into this iconic couple. Throughout the performance, Gilda appears as a vision guiding Gene through a difficult interview.

This play struck a sentimental chord for people who knew and loved Gene and Gilda, especially since Silver has an uncanny resemblance to Wilde and Burnett captures Gilda’s mannerisms, including the host of characters she popularized on Saturday Night Live. For anyone not familiar with this legendary couple, the timeline ends with Gilda’s untimely death, a reminder that neither fame, fortune, nor love can protect you from illness and heartbreak.

An Oddly Reflective Interview

Gene & Gilda takes place on the set of Wilder’s interview, where prompted by the voice of an interviewer he recounts their ‘story.’ Initially, Wilder refuses to discuss his relationship with Radner, but gives up as Gilda appears on stage, and insists it’s time for him to move on. Their story begins in New York in 1981 when Gilda a big Wilder fan, is in her first movie Hanky Panky, playing a scene opposite Wilder. Most of the dialogue, and situations were extracted verbatim, but come to life as they unfold on stage “The day Gilda and I met, I was in my makeup and dressed in a tuxedo when I walked up to her to say hello,” the actors provide the missing dimension, especially as Wilder is reminiscing, recreating his interactions with Gilda.

Gene Wilder (Jonathan Randell Silver) and Gilda Radner (Jordan Kai Burnett)

Gitter portrays Gilda as a high-energy, assertive, force to be dealt with, and sees Wilder as more standoffish. She is a huge fan, while he is only vaguely familiar with her performances on SNL. But their connection is magical and occurs after Radner has taken the liberty of rewriting the script for their scene. Gilda is an amazing talent, intrinsically understanding what is funny, and yet, Wilder is dismissive until he relents and reads her reworked scene, admitting that it is far superior. Their ability to collaborate introduces chemistry and tension, Gilda is a natural, with a flair for the unconventional, and she may be more talented. Gilda worries (after marrying Wilder) that people will attribute her success to her husband.

Gilda & Gene shows the messy, imperfection that was channeled to create perfect humor. Wilder is full of neurosis and nerves while Gilda drew inspiration from her past, creating quirky characters like Roseannadanna. They supported each other, yet their time together was too short. After conquering Gilda’s inability to conceive, they were defeated by ovarian cancer. A tragedy of catastrophic proportions, and the end of this love story, yet Gitter suggests their connection remains. Wilder channels Gilda to provide guidance he follows, masterfully, completing the interview, and allowing the world to understand their relationship.

Gilda Radner (Jordan Kai Burnett) and Gene Wilder (Jonathan Randell Silver)

Our Thoughts

Gene & Gilda offers insight into how Gitter imagined the relationship between Wilder and Radner might have been. All relationships have ups and downs, but Gitter focuses on their unending love and presents them almost without internal conflicts, a relationship suspended outside of time, with limited references providing historical context. True fans will be tickled by Gitter’s use of words and sequences from iconic movies, these references evaded those less knowledgeable.

In this show, like other George Street Playhouse performances, the acting was amazing, which made the performance. There is something magical and addictive about live theater that offers the audience a complete escape.

Unfortunately, all runs at George Street are limited, Gene & Gilda ends on December 22. The next show coming to The George Street Playhouse is Small, which will run from January 14 through February 2.