Is The Glass Menagerie All its Really Cracked Up To Be ? — Page 3

Did you see the NY Public Theatre production a few years ago? I'll be sure to pick up a copy. (My tastes tend to be more modern and that's most of what the local Vancouver scene has to offer, but it's my new year's resolution to learn the classics.)

---

Menagerie is probably Williams' most autobiographical play (from a realistic POV--of course nearly all his plays take things from his life and exagerate them). While it's not one of my faves (my personal faves are Orpheus Descending and Sweet Bird of Youth) it's a BRILLIANT play. It's been pointed out it really is the first major American play that truly has a dreamlike "memory" feel to it, that at the time was really quite revelatory I believe (helped by Mielzener's incredible set).

Of course it has a number of lame movies--there's the hard to find early 50s one with a happy ending (and Tony Curtis I believe)--and the Paul Newman directed one from the 80s with Malkovich which tries WAY too hard to be *good* but comes off flat.

E

Margo's analysis of Glass Menagerie is pretty close to mine. The layers that unfold in this play (if directed and performed well) are both astonishing and delicate (if that makes any sense).

I recall having a record (!) of Menagerie as a teen with Montgomery Clift as Tom, Julie Harris as Laura, Jessica Tandy (I think) as Amanda, and David Wayne as the gentleman caller. As I listened i remember how mesmerized I was by William's crafting of scenes and I identified very strongly with Tom -- didn't know why at the time (but now I do).

As for Laura's "deformity," in the production's that I have seen she sort of limps or hobbles about -- but her body language has always demonstrated that she is self concious about being 'different."

I think Jessica Lange is a wise choice for Amanda. I hope this production is as good as I am anticipating.

"Blue Roses"

---

The instructions at the first of the play indicate that the deformity should barley be noticeable.

It is a great play. It is not as enjoyable as Streetcar or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but it does have great character development.

I have always felt that Glass Menagerie is one of the few truly great American plays. This does not mean that the play is actor-proof. I saw both the Jessica Tandy and Julie Harris productions hit the shoals thanks to weak direction.

John Dexter directed Tandy et al and by the evening's end the audience started to feel sympathy for Amanda instead of everybody else. Oops. We all wanted to throttle Amanda Plummer for her God-awful mannerisms that had little to do with Laura.

Julie Harris felt like she was afraid to go as far down the road as Amanda as she needed to go. It was like she was afraid we wouldn't like her. But this production had the best Laura I expect to see in my lifetime by an unknown-to-me actress with the slightly absurd name of Calista Flockheart. At last a skittish half mad Laura who had enough self awareness to realize she had limitations and no idea how to rise above them. She didn't need to limp.

I think Dallas Roberts will be terrific as Tom and Josh Lucas has that nice-guy quality that Jim must have. I don't know Sarah Poulson's work.

Which leaves us with Jessica Lange who I have had problems with from the start. I don't think she has any inner humor. Amanda (and all Williams for that matter) can be very very funny and all I am dreading is a dreary Glass Menagerie.

Glass Menagerie is one of those plays like Streetcar and Gypsy where you will have after-dinner debates about different performances for years.

We shall see.

---

I had the privilege to see Patty Duke as Amanda in the Roundabout Reading in 2002.
It was wonderful.....

Is that the one with John Malkovich as Tom? I remember liking him a lot, but not the actual execution of it.

---

Do you remember the Harris/Flockhart version well? Do you remember the actor who played Tom (Zeljko Ivanek)? He appeared in the original production of Master Harold... and many other theatre and TV shows and I'm a fan. Do you recall how he was? To me, Tom is the most compelling character in the play.

---

At your age, what's ten years?

*runs away should DP unleash FaithPrince-like wrath on me*

---

Ya the Kat Hepburn TV version is by far the best--it's available on DVD (as part of that theatre Archive series although it wasn't one of the three other Williams DVDs in the same series that Amazon has right now in a VERY VERY VERY cheap combo pack)

The Malkovich one has a GREAT performance from karen Allen but Malk and Joanne Woodward don't do as well as they should and something's wrong with Newman's directing IMHO.

Why many Cat/Streetcar fans may not liek it is its a very very different play about small moments--not "big" melodramatic (a word i use in the truest/best meaning of it) subjects. His other well known plays are much more BIG in their themes and symbolism--and I prob prefer them in some ways but...

E