[NEohioPAL]Berko review: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Lakeland)

[Roy Berko]

‘CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF’ GOOD AT LAKELAND

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

The Cleveland area seems to be in the midst of a
Tennessee Williams theatre fest.  Following on the
heels of the Cleveland Play House’s production of ‘A
STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE,’ Lakeland  Theatre is staging
another of Williams major plays, ‘CAT ON A HOT TIN
ROOF.’

‘CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF’ is the story of a Southern
family in crisis.  The focus is on the turbulent
relationship between Maggie "The Cat"  and Brick, her
heavy drinking husband, and their interaction with
Brick's family over the course of a weekend at the
family estate in Mississippi.  They are ostensibly
gathered to celebrate the birthday of the patriarch
"Big Daddy."  To add to the intrigue, although Big
Daddy has terminal cancer, his doctor and family have
conspired to keep this information from him.

The central theme of the play is “mendacity,” the web
of lies the family spins in a desperate attempt to
keep some semblance of well-being.  As Big Daddy says,
“What's that smell in this room? Didn't you notice the
powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this
room?”  Additional themes center on other Williams’
key latches--decaying Southern society and the
Southern woman who finds herself unable to comprehend
the realities of the culture around her and that
area’s view of sexuality.

The play was rewritten several times by Williams. 
Each time there was a different approach taken to the
homosexual issue which seems central to Brick’s
drinking and his relationship with Maggie.  The
original version of the play, and the film which was
based on the Williams’ script, alludes to the presence
of homosexuality.  In the version of the play that
Lakeland Director Martin Friedman chose to produce,
the homosexuality issue is much more clearly
developed, as is the sexuality.  Interestingly, in an
interview, Tennessee Williams indicated he was unclear
about the nature of Brick and his best friend
Skipper’s relationship. 

The title of the play is clearly developed in the
dialogue.  Maggie states, “I'll win, alright. (She is
referring to the contest for who gets Big Daddy’s
estate.)  Brick responds,  “Win what?  What is the
victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?” To which Maggie
responds, “Just staying on it, I guess.  As long as
she can.”

The most compelling scene of the play centers on Big
Daddy’s attempt to destroy the mendacity web.  Brick
refuses to drop the barrier he's constructed around
himself and his dead friend.   One theatre commentator
states that the scene “raises the ante on Williams's
drama about as high as can be found in the annals of
American dramatic literature.”

One of the issues confronting any director of the play
is deciding which of the possible endings to use.  In
the film version, in a desperate attempt to help
Brick, Maggie announces to Big Daddy that she's
pregnant, something Big Daddy desperately wants...an
heir from his favorite son.  It's a lie, of course,
but Brick is touched by her loyalty to him.  Maggie's
outpouring of love prompts him to make good on her
blatant lie, and the film closes with their passionate
kiss.  That is not the version Friedman chose.  His is
the one that Williams originally wrote, in which Brick
rejects Maggie’s advances indicating that he can’t
have sex with someone he hates.

The film version (1958),  starred Elizabeth Taylor,
Paul Newman, Burl Ives and Judith Anderson.  Williams,
who did not participate in the award-winning cinema,
so disliked the adaptation that he is reported to have
gone to the world premiere and told people in line for
tickets that, "This movie will set the industry back
50 years. Go home!"  

The Lakeland production does not always reach the
emotional heights that it should, but this is mainly a
non-professional cast and, considering that, credit
should be given to attempting a very challenging play
and developing a more than adequate production.   

Mitchell Fields, the only equity member of the cast,
is generally excellent as Big Daddy, another of
Williams's don't-try-to-con-me realists (think Stanley
in ‘STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE’).  He smolders on his
entrance and screams from there on.  A little more
texturing of moods might have helped better
understanding the character.  He develops well the
highlight scene with Brick when he confronts his son’s
demons.
 
Brick is a very difficult role to portray.  The man
says little, but is the fulcrum of the play.  Silence
is his only solace from the confusion and rage he
feels.   Mark Smith has the physical attractiveness
and muscular body to visually fit the role, but is
quite young and lacking in his ability to dig beyond
the surface of the character.  He substitutes body
twitches for internal pain, and can’t match the
emotional levels of Liz Conway’s Maggie or Fields’ Big
Daddy.  Even the capstone last line of the play lacks
clarity.  In fact, a patron sitting behind me
whispered, “What did he say?”  I thought, “What did he
mean?”

Liz Conway does well at Maggie.  She, like the
proverbial cat, lands on her feet because of cunning. 
And, as a cat, she is unpredictable, not willing to be
trained.  Her acting motivations are clear and she
prowls with conviction.

Mary Jane Nottage, in spite of a coming and going
accent, a problem with most of the cast, swings from
airhead to desperation to airhead with ease.  This is
one of her best ever performances.

Erin Bunting gives a shrewish interpretation to Mae,
Gooper’s wife, that makes her appear mean rather than
devious manner of a true “southern lady.”  Steven
Hoffman’s Gooper, Brick’s older brother, appears too
strong at times rather than being a foil for Mae.

Michael Regnier as the Doctor and Marvin Mallory as
the Reverend are generally unconvincing in their
roles.

Keith Nagy’s fragmentary set and lighting effects help
create the right illusions, as do Craig Tucker’s
costumes.

Capsule judgment:  At Lakeland, ‘CAT ON A HOT TIN
ROOF’ gets a good community theatre production, which
features some fine performances.  Be aware that the
3-act play is long at almost three hours.

‘CAT ON A HAT TIN ROOF’ runs on Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays through February 18 on the campus of Lakeland
Community College.  For tickets call 440-975-4774 or
email:  theatre at lakelandcc.edu.  Their next production
is Stephen Sondheim’s ‘SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH
GEORGE,’ being staged from July 14 through July 30.


Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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