There's a simple solution for people who feel another Glass Menagerie is unnecessary: don't go.
London theatergoers do not complain when Hamlet, Twelfth Night or Midsummer Night's Dream get revived almost annually. That is part of their great legacy of theatre. The US tradition doesn't extend as long, of course, but the great plays of Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and Eugene O'Neill, among others, are our own legacy, Their plays get revived with frequency because a star wants to do them, or a director has an exciting vision, or the ingredients just come together at a certain time due to schedules.
A great play with great performances in a great production is always welcome, as far as I'm concerned.
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
While I had thought I might pass on seeing this revival so soon after the previous one, after seeing Sam Gold's compelling direction of Othello at the New York Theatre Workshop I am really looking forward to this production of GM.
It's a rehearsal shot, but this is not going to be a traditionally staged production of the play. You can google Gold's Amsterdam production of the play (on which it was based) to get a sense of how it will look.
I am thinking about seeing this next weekend, but I have limited time. Can anybody tell me an approximate run time? I know that it could be varied, but I also think it must be within a few minutes of the previous productions (for which I cannot find run times for). I do see that the film was 134 minutes. Does that sound bloated?
The production Sam Gold did in Amsterdam was performed without an intermission, but I'm hearing this production will be performed with an intermission and will be close to the standard length for this play (about 2.5 hours).
Totally agree with an earlier poster's comments: A great play with great performances in a great production is always welcome, as far as I'm concerned.
And to echo what someone else said, having seen Gold's recent OTHELLO I'm look forward to seeing this production.
QueenAlice said: "It's a very modern, abstract version of the show. Couldn't be more different than John Tiffany's interpretation."
I believe you that it will be very different! However, Tiffany's production seemed pretty modern and abstract to me - though I readily admit that I may not be using those terms correctly. The set, at least, was extremely surreal and non-traditional.
JBroadway said: "As I said in the thread I posted, I agree that this is kinda weird, consider how the last revival was so recent and so critically acclaimed.
I also seem to recall reading here that Sam Gold's track record with revivals is not considered great. I can only speak for myself after seeing The Real Thing, which I didn't love."
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "JBroadway said: "As I said in the thread I posted, I agree that this is kinda weird, consider how the last revival was so recent and so critically acclaimed.
I also seem to recall reading here that Sam Gold's track record with revivals is not considered great. I can only speak for myself after seeing The Real Thing, which I didn't love."