Munk's THE GLASS MENAGERIE review

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 12:50am

It took me a while to really formulate my thoughts on this production - and while I'm sure I'll continue to think about it in the future, for now, I'm going to post my "review."

I've never seen a production of this before - I've only read it and studied it in school - so despite the never ending negative things I've heard about it, I couldn't pass up a chance to see one of the best plays ever written starring one of the best actresses we have today. (Just in case you wanted justification )

So, while I've been a giant fan of David Leveaux's previous work (NINE, JUMPERS, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF,) I really question his vision this time. While one of the best things about theatre is that it can always be invented and re-invented (and beauty is in the eye of the beholder,)obviously not ever interpretation is for everyone. And while I also believe that there is no wrong answer to anything artistic, the director has a certain job to uphold the vision of the playwright - especially a playwright like Tennessee Williams who's vision of his play is blatantly clear in his script.

From the very start of this play, I was getting weird vibes. First of all - the set. While occasionally functional (the fire escape,) the set really confused me and hindered the production, in my opinion. I know Williams makes specific references to the curtains in the script, but they were too distracting. Personally, I don't see the point of doing scenes behind curtains acting as walls - I truly don't. It was very distracting and not even pleasing to the eye. At points, it was as if the actors were more concerned with when to open and close the curtains than with what they were actually saying. There were also some very puzzling moments for me - particularly between Tom and Laura. For example, when Laura tucks Tom in, then lays on top of him, among other strange moments between the two. While some reviewers hinted at incest, I didn't get that vibe. I understood it as two siblings that love each other very much - and Tom feeling remarkably responsible for the happiness of his sister, and he wants to protect her at all costs - not incest. Regardless, the direction is puzzing and flawed. While the general blocking (except when behind curtains) is more than adequate - this production deserves better than Leveaux's strange vision, atleast in my opinion. And I found this very disappointing (but not surprising,) because I generally love his direction.

As Amanda, Jessica Lange is pretty great. She didn't do it for me as Kathleen Turner, Cherry Jones, and Natasha Richardson had done, but she was undoubtedly great. It took me a while to warm up to her. She just wasn't as dead-on as I was hoping she'd be - very melo-dramatic at many parts (all in Act One) and she seemed to be impersonating a stereotypical southern belle. Act One was very shaky for her - but she was fantastic in Act Two, mainly when she flips out at Tom. If she could only have the integrity she has in Act Two during the entire show, she would be a knock-out.

Christian Slater's performance as Tom has me torn. While my vision of the role is completely different, he doesn't completely fall on his face in the role. I always thought of Tom to be someone questioning his sexuality and completely unhappy with his life - not a "real" whiskey-guzzling, hard core man. I think the show is far more effective if you do see Tom struggle with his sexuality (particularly at the end,) but the show doesn't alltogether fail with that (mostly autobiographical) detail. So, while I would prefer it there, it didn't ruin the show. So - taking into consideration that Leveaux's vision is obviously different from the standard GLASS MENAGERIE (and judging this only on Leveaux's apparant vision,) Slater is the strongest link in the cast, in my opinion. He's truly funny and impressive. Although you don't feel bad for Tom, I (atleast) was certainly on his side. I was definitely impressed by him, and I applaud his efforts.

As Laura, Sarah Paulson WAS. She kind of just WAS. She wasn't great, she wasn't by any means bad, but she didn't really do much. The whole play she was kind of just still and speaking in a raspy, very sad, droll voice. I'm not saying it didn't work - it certainly did - she was boring. I honestly don't know what to make of her - she confused me. I suppose Paulson succeeded - I felt for Laura and my heart broke with hers - I felt her sadness through and through - or maybe it's just that I know her position all to well and can completely identify with it right now. It certainly rang true with me - and I suppose she did the role justice. After thinking it out and sorting my thoughts (basically right here in this review,) while I wasn't completely taken by her, all in all - she was fine.

The gorgeous Josh Lucas (as The Gentleman Caller) started off very strong, then sort of declined, then got better again. He is certainly a great actor - and I loved him in this role, but I can't help but question some of his motives during his poignant scene with Laura at the very end (right before and all after he breaks the unicorn.) I loved his charm and I loved his sense of humour - when it was appropriate, but I don't think his humour and dismissive attitude is called for or appropriate after he realized he's made a mistake with Laura. He wasn't genuine, and his performance rang as contrived and unbelievable. So while 50% of his performance was excellent, the other half was questionable.

The set is also very strange. I think it's important that the audience is aware that they're watching a play - this is not meant to be 100% real (Tom mentions that in his opening monologue,) but it's sort of half-assed here. Again, my judgement might be ill because I've never seen a production of this before - I don't know what the status-quo is for this play - but I think the set is all wrong. Laura's menagerie is too insignificant onstage. While it doesn't need to be (and shouldn't be) the focal point of the set, it was very strangely placed. I wouldn't say it's wrong, but it would certainly be more prevalent in a production I might direct (or design.) I always believed the Wingfield family to be not financially well-off, and the set doesn't really reflect that. While Amanda is clearly delusional about certain aspects of life and I think no matter how much income there was she would have a decent looking house, I thought the general design of all the furniture wasn't believable. It wasn't too nice - but it just wasn't right, in my opinion. It was just off. With what needs to be dealt with (direction and scenic design,) the lighting is great and functional. I even like the strange florescent lights framing the house - which is probably a Leveaux thing. The music between scenes is, although appropriately haunting, ear piercing at times and pretty annoying overall.

So while this may seem like a terribly negative review, I actually managed to leave the show quite moved - which is really a testament to how well written this play truly is. I think it's important to look at the flaws, examine them and learn from them - but also take into consideration that (most) theatre is art and it's subjective. So while I can watch a show like MENAGERIE and recognize what I would have done differently, I can still enjoy it - which I certainly did. And in my mind, a mediocre production of a masterpiece should always be welcomed and embraced on Broadway.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:05am

Great review!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:15am

Why thank you!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:31am

Is no one interested in discussing this show?

It's really sad to me.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:44am

Great review! It's hard for me to contribute more than that seeing as I haven't seen and won't be seeing the production. Like you, my only familiarity with it prior to this production was studying it in school, in which I do not find this T.W.'s best work. Everyone's trying to tell me adamently that in stage, it's just that much better.

So yeah, I don't have much to contribute to this thread, but at least it's not about Wicked!

[Kristie-K2]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:49am

I flew from Oregon to see Jessica Lange...I loved her and I loved the show......But it was like a dream for me.....When you finally see an actress that you adore.....it was just magical for me and then to meet her.....Please.......My review might be different if I was going to see the show and not her......The only cast member I didn't care for was Sarah Paulson......

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:12am

Well I'm glad that other people on this board have even HEARD of "The Glass Menagerie."

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:14am

Great review. I read the play once in high school, and thus ends my familiarity with it, so unfortunately I can't say very much. But I love you!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:16am

I love you too! But you know that.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:32am

Wow. I 100% agree with your assessment of Slater in the role. I couldn't articulate how I felt about him, but you did it exactly.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:54am

Great review. I saw the show last week and I'm still trying to find my words. Although I know I saw a great production with some good performances I left quite underwhelmed. I'm still trying to figure out why....

QM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:15am

I left disappointed, but still moved. Imagine how moving and inspiring this show would have been with a different director? Someone like Sam Mendes or Doug Hughes?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 6:21am

Or Daniel Sullivan (who just did "Julius Caesar" and is perhaps the best director we have for classic American works)?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 6:32am

Great review, Munk. I actually loved Paulson's Laura (for me, she made the show).

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:57pm

I can't make up my mind about her. She was sincere and she really broke my heart, but she just got annoying.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:06pm

That's how I felt about her portrayal. I just found her very annoying. It didn't work for me at all, hence I didn't really care about her too much.

QM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:12pm

I was waiting for her to keel over.

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:23pm

I loved Paulson in the show, I thought Lange couldn't hold a candle to her (it didn't help that I couldn't hear Lange and I was sitting 3 rows from the stage).
I went into the show to see Lange and ended up walking out a fan of Paulson's. She broke my heart. She seemed so normal, dowdy, with her family and then when an outsider entered the home, just how painfully shy she was, it was palpable. Is it the character, or the actress that speaks with a slight lisp?
Having seen Josh Lucas in "Sweet Home Alabama" I kept wondering where his accent was.
Christian Slater just didn't strike me as the type that would be sitting down to a typewriter to pour his heart out. I thought he played the character so angrily.
And Lange I just couldn't help but think you could just run her over in the Piggly Wiggly, not the steely character I remember reading. I just thought she didn't play the character with enough bite.
I liked the show overall, and it was my first production of seeing it. Didn't care for the hospital curtain-esque set. The Gentleman Caller scenes made the show for me and I was sobbing right along/for with Sarah Paulson's Laura up to the very end.

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 02:23 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:28pm

I agree - as soon as The Gentleman Caller sat down with Laura, the show took me right in. I too, had trouble hearing Lange and I was sitting mid-Orchestra.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:33pm

You know, some people have mentioned to me that they had problems hearing Lange. I had seats in the mezz and understood every single word. I found her performance mind-blowing and am surprised that anyone would prefer Paulson.

QM

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:39pm

Despite sitting 3 rows from the stage, there were people around me who got the headsets to help them hear better, but their headsets buzzed, which didn't help either. Maybe my night had bad sound.

The biggest problem I had with the actors, was the lack of consistent accent. Lange couldn't decide which part of the South she was from, Slater had an accent in one scene, but not another. Paulson was the most consistent thing to me in the show. I just adored her for making me feel so wrecked (that sounds completely wrong)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:21pm

Paulson had me CRYING BUCKETS during Scene 7 (the Gentleman Caller scene). I simply adored her performance. I would love to see her nominated for a Tony, but I doubt that will happen.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:22pm

The more I think about this production, the more it pisses me off.

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:25pm

oh no, munk, why?

I think Paulson not only deserves the Tony nod, I think she should win. I don't know how she's not an emotional wreck performing that every night!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 3:26pm

Paulson should NOT win compared to the 2 brilliant women in DOUBT and Amry Ryan of STREETCAR. No way.

It pisses me off because it's so poorly directed and done. It's just all wrong and misguided.