[NEohioPAL] Berko review: GLASS MENAGERIE (Cleveland Play House)

[Roy Berko]

‘GLASS
MENAGERIE’ GETS A THOUGHT PROVOKING INTEPRETATION AT CPH
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)
 
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‘GLASS MANAGERIE,’ now on stage at the Cleveland Play House, was
Tennessee Williams’ first successful professional play.  In spite of the fact that theatre
critics are often maligned, Williams’ career as one of America’s greatest
modern playwrights may never have taken place if not for two determined Chicago
reviewers.
 
When ‘MENAGERIE’ opened in Chicago in December of 1944, due to bad
weather and the lack of a well known author, the play had such low pre-sales
that the producers considered closing the show after the first week.  Critics Claudia Cassidy and Ashton
Stevens were so enamored with the play they actually pleaded with readers to
attend.  Their efforts were successful
and resulted in not only a successful Chicago run, but also inspired a New York
production.  The end result was the
birth of one of America’s great plays.  It also allowed Williams to have successful productions of such
masterpieces as ‘A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE,’ ‘THE ROSE TATTOO,’ and ’ CAT ON A
HOT TIN ROOF.’
 
From a local perspective, it is interesting to note that the year
before “MENAGERIE’ opened in the Windy City, The Cleveland Play House presented
the world premier of Williams’ ‘YOU TOUCHED ME,’ a play based on a story of D.
H. Lawrence, which is little remembered. 
 
The 1945 Broadway production of ‘MENAGERIE,’ which won the New York Drama
Critics Circle Award, starred Laurette Taylor, who had been a star
in the 1920s and 30s, but had withdrawn from the theatre scene due to sever
alcoholism.  Her portrayal of the
mother, Amanda, received outstanding reviews and ushered in a comeback.  Other notables who have played the role
include Jessica Tandy, Julie Harris and Maureen Stapleton.
 
The story centers
on Tom, who narrates a tale of his memories of his past.  Much as a traditional Greek chorus, he
introduces characters and comments on the action.  We meet his mother,
Amanda, a faded southern belle who has been abandoned by her husband, and is
living in the past while trying to navigate in the present.   One wonders, are her tales real
or is she living the great lie, clinging to her sanity by telling stories over
and over until even she isn’t sure if they are real or illusions of her
imagination.  He introduces us to
Laura, his physically and emotionally fragile sister who has magnified a slight
limp into a major ailment to use as a device to cut herself off from
reality.  A reality that centers on
an escape into a small animal glass collection which includes a unicorn, which
much like Laura is different  because of its horn.  And,
finally we meet Jim, a former high school acquaintance who now works at a shoe
factory with Tom, who is brought home in hopes that he will marry Laura.  Tom, who sat next to Laura in school
choir, and with whom she has been in love her entire life.  
As with many of
Williams’ scripts, it concerns escape, escape from reality, from the harshness
of life.  It contains a signature
southern deluded female who finds herself in a society that doesn’t understand
her and which she doesn’t understand (think Blanche in ‘STREETCAR NAMED
DESIRE’).    It contains
much symbolism.   The fire
escape, which is the only means of escape from the life in the oppressive
apartment; the victrola and glass animals, which Laura uses for her escape from
reality; the magic show and films, Tom’s means to escape from a life he hates;
and the gentleman caller, Amanda’s hope for Laura to escape her present life.
The Cleveland Play
House production, under the direction of Michael Bloom, is a good
representation of Williams’ work.  As with any production, the director’s vision sets the play’s attitude
and the character interpretations.  Bloom has a clear vision of the role of the characters, and since this
is a character, not a plot driven script, that sets the tone.
His Amanda, as
portrayed by the talented Linda Purl, is delusional, often comic, causing the
audience to laugh at her, rather than feeling empathy and pathos for her.  That approach adds a lightness and a humor
level to the show, not usually seen.  Purl consistently carries through Bloom’s interpretation.  Personally, I feel about Amanda as I do
of Blanche in “STREETCAR.”  They
are women forced to live in circumstances which are so beyond their control and
recognition that they became psychotic.  They are pathetic not humorous.   But, that’s my view, and I’m not the director of this
production.   Bloom is.
Alison Lani often
stays on the surface of Laura.  She
has some brilliant moments, as when she realizes that the Gentleman Caller is
not going to return and her life, like the broken horn of her beloved unicorn,
is not going to be repaired, saved.  Yet, at other times, she seems to be feigning the character…overusing
her “misshapen” hands, contorting her face rather than letting internal
motivations set her expressions.
Daniel Damon Joyce
is right on target as Tom.  He is
totally believable.  He balances
his internal and external rage with ease.  (Having played the role twice, I am aware of the difficulty of making
what appears to be a straightforward role into a tour-de -force performance.)
Sorin Brouwers
gives Jim, the Gentlemen Caller, a nice edge of cockiness combined with
vulnerability.  His is a nicely
texture performance.
Michael Lincoln’s
lighting gives the right glow and darkness to the goings on.  This is a play with lots of
psychologically dark corners and Lincoln helps create them.  Michael Roth’s underscoring music is
effective, though at times it gets lost in the action.  Susan Tsu’s costumes were not only
period correct, but helped create the proper image for each character.  Robert Mark Morgan deviated from
Williams’ set description, but created a workable stage.
CAPSULE
JUDGMENT:   ‘THE GLASS
MENAGERIE’ is one of America’s great modern plays.  For those who have not seen it, they will get a vision of
not only the work of a great playwright, but an interesting interpretation at
CPH.  For those who are familiar
with the play, Bloom’s interpretation, especially his concept of Amanda, should
be good fodder for conversation.‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’ runs through October 5 in the Drury Theatre of the
Cleveland Playhouse.  For tickets
call 216-795-7000 or go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.