Review: CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF at Company Theatre

Amidst the flickering lights and whispered secrets of a sultry Southern estate, The Company Theatre delivers a scorching performance of Tennessee Williams' timeless classic, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." This production, staged with meticulous attention to detail, provides the audience a glimpse into a family in disarray, hiding behind their secrets and hidden truths.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the Pollitt family's sprawling Mississippi plantation, where patriarch Big Daddy (Matt Ames) is celebrating his birthday while battling terminal cancer. The air hangs heavy with tension as his son Brick (Rich Steele), a former football hero turned alcoholic, struggles to come to terms with the death of his best friend and the collapse of his marriage to the fiery and determined Maggie (Courtney Schutt).

Schutt’s performance stands out in a cast who all, in their own way, understood the assignment. Her performance ignites the stage with emotion and complexity, with a commanding presence and a keen understanding of her character's inner turmoil she breathes life into the role of Maggie the Cat, capturing both her vulnerability and her steely resolve with remarkable finesse. Her portrayal is the epicenter of the production, drawing viewers into the tumultuous world of the Pollitts and providing a masterclass on one of American Theatre’s most iconic southern belles.

Amid the complex emotional terrain of this iconic piece of theatre there are moments of unexpected levity that punctuate the proceedings with laughter, often delivered by Ames’ Big Daddy and Christopher C. Conway’s Reverend Tooker, who displays spot-on comedic timing. Whether it's the biting wit of Big Mama's barbs or the sly humor of Brick's cutting remarks, these moments of comic relief provide a welcome respite from the emotional tumult, adding depth and nuance to the production as a whole.

On the technical side, I continue to struggle with the acoustics of the Company Theatre’s location. While the Temple Theatre is a stunningly gorgeous space, its high ceilings tend to swallow the dialogue, making it challenging for the audience to follow along during scenes that are more quiet and muted or, conversely, contain a lot of shouting that ultimately becomes echoey and hard to discern. This is particularly critical to address in a show like Tin Roof, where there are no flashy dance numbers or kick lines, and the dialogue is the show.