The Glass Menagerie

To begin The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams writes within Tom’s opening lines: “The play is memory.  Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic...”  acknowledging the play as a work of art rather than a rigidly true account.  Tom introduces his sister and mother and the anticipated “gentleman caller” (directed in an appealing, choreographic fashion) while poetically opining his own fate and the state of the world.  The action takes place in 1937 during The Great Depression, its effects widespread and deeply felt.  Williams' script contrasts an indictment of the American economic and sociological landscape in the years preceding World War II with the confidence that bright young men like Tom’s friend Jim O’Connor epitomise, always looking forward, seeking more.

In a small, shabby St Louis apartment the Wingfield family bicker, forgive, eat together, and Amanda (Mrs Wingfield) repeatedly reminisces about a dainty, privileged Southern past and her many suitors.  Tom is a poet at heart, longing for adventure but works in a shoe factory to support his mother and sister in the absence of Mr Wingfield whose smiling portrait still looms large, despite his unexplained abandonment.  Tom and Amanda argue often about Tom’s escapist behaviour - drinking and smoking too much, going to the movies, and staying out late - while Laura actively plays peacekeeper.

Laura has been walking the streets in the cold of Winter, secretly absconding from Rubicam’s Business College since her first day when severe anxiety caused her to be physically ill.  Amanda discovers the deception and her disappointment is abundantly clear; she obviously cares for her children but her supressed antagonism and unrealistic expectations of life and family are difficult to watch, appearing quite toxic at times.  Jessica Merrick delivers a finely tuned performance as the sparkling, sycophantic, but ultimately bitter Amanda Wingfield, a fading Southern Belle who relishes ideas of refinement yet is constantly haranguing her children.  Merrick’s characterization, with very fine Southern American accent and even better inflection, is complex and nuanced even during Amanda’s embarrassing flirtatiousness toward Jim O’Connor.  She is also able to maintain this throughout the very text-driven, elegiac play and Amanda’s long-winded, almost stream of consciousness monologues.

Viewed as exotic and frail, like blue roses (a high school nickname) or her cherished glass animal collection, Laura displays a resolve, acceptance, and maturity of observation that is mostly unacknowledged by her family.  Mia Livingston-Pearce gives us the young ‘crippled’ (sic) Laura with an air of innocence and vulnerability yet conveys Laura’s innate maturity and good heart.  This is a pared back characterization with a gentle, tread-lightly physicality that works well for Laura.

We first meet Tom Wingfield (Connor Duncan) as a cool, mostly objective narrator placed on the upper platform of the Little Theatre space.  Duncan gifts Tom with a world-weary countenance styled a little like The Great Gatsby’s Nick Carraway,  the disdainful but slightly envious outsider.  For the character within the play, Duncan captures Tom’s restlessness alongside his regard for his sister as well as his disdain for Amanda and her conniving to impose the glamour of her own youth upon her daughter.  Connor’s strong vocals are very welcome as just occasionally others actors were not quite as clear.  Liam Warmeant is also strong as Jim, the gentleman caller and presents a wonderful contrast to the family, like a gust of fresh Spring air.  The ‘candlelit’ moments with Laura were delightful as  Warmeant relaxed into the role.

Director Clinton Nitschke has an obvious regard for this play and has also designed the very workable set.  The lighting and incidental music too worked well, the lighting being somewhat abstract at times lending a filmic quality to sections.  This production is a terrific rendering of a difficult play in a challenging space and Nitschke has truly distilled the tender yet somewhat confronting family dynamics, the tangle of selfishness and grudging sacrifices Amanda and Tom exhibit, and the depths of emotional pain each character lives with.  I particularly appreciated the intimacy provided by The Little Theatre and how the audience could emotionally access the claustrophobic apartment.  Bravo to the whole team.

Lisa Lanzi