Posted: 11/12/15 at 12:50pm
I was wondering what the response was for the last 2 revivals of this play. Did anyone see both (with Cherry Jones and Jessica Lange) and have a preference?
Also *POSSIBLE SPOLIER*
I always wondered if Tom knew beforehand that The Gentleman Caller was engaged and if he brought him to dinner on purpose to hurt this mother or if he actually didn't know. Thoughts on this?
Posted: 11/12/15 at 1:06pm
I didn't get to see the 2014 revival live, but I watched it at the Lincoln Center Archives. I thought it was beautifully directed and performed. Celia Keenan-Bolger was absolute perfection in that role. I wish I could have seen it live.
As for your other question:
No, I don't think Tom knew that Jim was engaged, personally. He may not be above hurting his mother, but he would never break Laura's heart like that on purpose.
Updated On: 11/12/15 at 01:06 PM
Posted: 11/12/15 at 1:08pm
The last revival directed by John Tiffany was critically acclaimed and earned 7 Tony nominations, including Best Revival of a Play (the first time any Broadway production of The Glass Menagerie had ever received Tony nominations).
Posted: 11/12/15 at 1:14pm
Updated On: 11/12/15 at 01:14 PM
Posted: 11/12/15 at 1:17pm
It's possible Tom knew but was tired of his mother telling him to bring his sister a caller he just asked the only guy he was close to.
It might just have been me, but in the last revival I got a strong feeling Tom and the GC had a romantic/sexual relationship. Obviously nothing spoken, but they exchanged glances and had a few moments.
Posted: 11/12/15 at 3:43pm
"It might just have been me, but in the last revival I got a strong feeling Tom and the GC had a romantic/sexual relationship."
Interesting thought and I've actually heard that before., but then there are gay theories about practically ever character and every play these days. But I can't imagine given all the circumstances and the relationships that Tom would have ever brought home another man with whom he was having some "romatic/sexual" relationship. Just plain can't imagine it.
Posted: 11/12/15 at 3:53pm
Like I said, it wasn't that heavy handed and it could have just been how I interpreted how they interacted. I'm usually the one rolling my eyes when a director or actor suddenly decided a character is gay, but they gave off vibes of attraction to each other for sure.
Tom's only real male friend is the GC; he had no one else to bring home. He wasn't exactly bringing him home as a boyfriend to meet the family.
Posted: 11/12/15 at 5:13pm
I saw both productions.
The Jessica Lange version is the worst big name production of anything I have seen on Broadway. It was just misguided from the start when this mother of a poor household enters in a new tailored suit and freshly marcelled hair that they in no way can afford. This happened maybe two minutes in and lost me right there. It really didn't get better. The Gentleman Caller (Josh Lucas?) was the only actor of the four to make it out alive. The direction and concept were just flat out wrong.
The Cherry Jones production was the polar opposite. This is one for the books and will be studied and talked about for years. It was like a new play (and I stage managed the play in the 70s; I know the script). For the first time I felt the three Wingfields were a family. A dysfunctional family to be sure, but a family nonetheless.I hate to use the word 'brilliant' to describe productions that are merely excellent.. However in this case, it was brilliant.
Tom is now thought by most scholars to be gay (and a Williams stand-in). The Gentleman Caller is probably straight, but Tom could be played as to have a crush on him. As said above, Tom wouldn't bring home a gay man for Laura nor does Tom know he is engaged. Jim is just the only remotely eligible man Tom knows.
Posted: 11/12/15 at 7:51pm
Right. I always got the sense too that Tom and the GC weren't exactly very close friends or anything--he was just his one sorta friendly acquaintance at the factory (ugh it's been a while since I've revisited the play--I hope I have those facts right.)
Certainly many lines could be read as Tom being gay (I'm paraphrasing but his mother asking him what exactly he does at the movie theatres, etc...)
Posted: 11/12/15 at 8:51pm
I didn't get vibes that Tom and the Gentleman Caller were having an actual relationship, but there was a flirtatious undertone to their interaction in the last revival. I also don't think Tom knows he's engaged; even if he wanted to hurt his mother there is no indication he would hurt Laura intentionally.
I didn't see the 2005 revival, but the 2014 production was extraordinary. I had read the play in high school and didn't particularly care for it, but that production brought a whole new life to what I think a lot of people see as kind of a dusty old play. The long scene with Laura and Jim was so wonderful, and the staging was gorgeous.
