GAMM Theatre's
fourth show of their 25th season is Tennessee Williams's
American classic "The Glass Menagerie". It was Williams'
first successful play and it seems to be an
autobiographical of Williams life more so than any of
his other works. The show is set in 1937. Williams whose
real first name is Thomas, would be Tom, his mother,
Amanda and his sickly and (supposedly) mentally ill
sister Rose would be Laura. The story is written from
the point of view of the narrator, Tom Wingfield. The
play is introduced to the audience by Tom as a memory
play, based on his recollection of his mother Amanda and
his sister Laura. Amanda is a faded, tragic remnant of
Southern gentility who lives in poverty in a dingy St.
Louis apartment. Amanda's husband left the family 16
years ago and she remains stuck in the past. Tom works
in a warehouse, doing his best to support them. He
chafes under the boredom and banality of everyday life.
He is driven to distraction by his mother's constant
nagging, spends much of his spare time watching movies
in cheap cinemas and seeks escape in alcohol, too. An
added scene shows Tom in an embrace with a man when
he returns home from the movies which alludes to
Williams homosexuality. Amanda is obsessed with finding
a suitor for Laura, who spends most of her time with her
glass animal collection which are as delicate and
fragile as she is, after having dropped out of business
school. Tom eventually brings Jim home for dinner at the
insistence of his mother, who hopes Jim will be the
long-awaited suitor for Laura. Laura realizes that Jim
is the boy she loved in high school and has thought of
ever since. He builds her up by telling Laura she has an
inferiority complex and needs to build up her
confidence. In the candlelit scene Jim kisses her then
dashes her hopes, telling her he is already engaged to
Betty, then leaves. The world of illusion that Amanda
and Laura have striven to create in order to make life
more bearable collapses about them. Tom leaves too,
never returns to see his family again. However, Tom
still remembers his sister, Laura and shows his regret
at leaving his sister behind. One of Tom's last lines is
"Blow out your candles, Laura" and the character does
that onstage bringing the show to its poignant
conclusion. Director Fred Sullivan directs this show
splendidly. He divides the role of Tom between two
actors, one the older Tom who is reflecting back on his
life, regretting some of his actions, and his younger
self. The show is given a touching rendition by its five
talented cast members, leaving you shedding a tear or
two while doing so.
Fred's
direction is on target from the opening words of the
narrator to his last ones, mixing the comic and dramatic
moments together perfectly. Although the story is
heartbreaking it has moments of humor sprinkled through
it. He also blocks the show wonderfully using the fire
escape as a symbol of Tom's escape from his awful
past. Fred always does an outstanding job whether he is
directing or acting in a show.. Marilyn Salvatore made
some gorgeous 1930's costumes including Amanda's gown
for the party. Set designer Patrick Lynch designed a
stunning apartment with a dining room and living room
with an outside area with a two story fire escape. The
poignancy of the show is enhanced by David Tessier's
violin and piano playing during the scenes. The portrait
of the father is another important part of the set as he
looms over the family. Sam Babbitt plays the elder
version of Tom who narrates the show, delivering his
monologues in the "supposed present day" and he first
enters the playing area with a drink in his hand to show
what happened to Williams in his later years. (Fred has
cast Sam in 16 previous shows at Gamm and created this
part for him in this show.) He gives the role the
poignancy Williams intended as a tribute to his sister,
Rose who ended up with a lobotomy for her "different"
kind of behavior. Sam looks back at his life as Tom
Wingfield, showing his regret at doing things the way he
did in the past. Both Toms utter the blow out your
candles dialogue, leading to many tears flowing from the
crowd. Marc Dante Mancini as the younger Tom delivers
his dialogue with the right amount of pathos. He seems
petulant at times. Some dramatic moments are when he
shows his love and concern for his sister that she is
different and the final confrontation scene with his
mother which left the audience breathless. Wendy Overly
is fabulous as the overbearing mother Amanda, who dreams
constantly of the long ago days when she was a Southern
belle in the Blue Mountains and had seventeen suitors
pursuing her. She captures this woman's larger than life
persona as she runs her children's lives. Her Southern
accent is perfect and her "Rise and Shine'' is met with
much laughter as are the gay deceivers she places in
Laura's dress because she is flat-chested. Wendy blends
the comic and tragic moments together in her
interactions with Tom and Laura and shines as the giddy
Southern belle trying to entice a husband for her
painfully shy daughter. Her most poignant moment comes
when she describes her love for her wayward husband with
tears in her eyes, evoking tears from the audience. The
final argument scene between Wendy and Mark hits the
heights of intensity with their build up of anger in
this scene.
Pretty brunette Diana Buirski
plays the fragile, crippled Laura beautifully. Her
ethereal beauty captures the essence of this role with
wonderful line delivery. She cringes and hides from the
real world under the table at times and also into her
glass menagerie world and like that imaginary world, her
world crumbles at her only attempt to entertain a suitor
who is engaged to another girl. Diana becomes a tragic
wallflower as Laura and remains trapped in this dumpy
apartment with her mother. Kelby Akin is dynamite as
Jim, the Gentleman Caller. with his energetic
portrayal. He builds Laura's confidence up in herself,
delivering a strong but tender interpretation of the
role. Jim tries to help Laura out of her shell by
telling her to look on the positive aspects of life
which he learned in public speaking class. Kelby's
powerful character adds to the enjoyment of the show
and Jim brings life to the stale atmosphere of the
Wingfield family trapped in that St. Louis apartment. I
have many pleasant memories of directing this show back
in 1986. So for a trip back to when powerful American
shows were first written, be sure to catch this
outstanding show at Gamm Theatre.
THE GLASS
MENAGERIE ( 4 March to 4 April, 2010)
Gamm Theatre, 172
Exchange Street, Pawtucket, RI
|
