Long Wharf's Reinvented Glass Menagerie a Hit @ Mark Taper Forum

The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams
directed by Gordon Edelstein
Mark Taper Forum
through October 17

For many, Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie remains his finest play. Semi-autobiographical, the play takes place in St. Louis during the Depression and depicts the relationships between a restless alcoholic factory worker, wannabe writer, his overbearing mother and his psychologically deficient sister - all of which stems from Williams' actual background.

Currently at the Taper, Gordon Edelstein's award-winning production, originating at the Long Wharf in Connecticut and winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Revival at the Roundabout Theatre in New York, is a re-envisioning of the original that works miraculously by connecting Williams' early playwrighting years to his Southern roots from which he constantly longed to escape. How is this accomplished? Tom (Patch Darragh) is no longer the traditional merchant marine narrator at the top but a writer in a hotel room struggling to write his memory play, thereby giving closure to this segment of his life. Everything he remembers comes to vibrant life: the hotel room becomes the rundown tenement with the infamous portrait of the traveling telephone salesman father carefully lit behind a scrim. When Tom is not involved in the action, he lingers onstage observing, writing, or typing, throughout. Edelstein's vision works wonderfully, but it makes one question why it has never been tried before.

Another fascinating addition to this production is the consistently piquant humor as expressed by Amanda (Judith Ivey) and Darragh as Tom. Ivey's whole being as an actress creates a warmer and more caring mother than usually seen and her frequent nervous cackle especially in the presence of Jim (Ben McKenzie) is a delight. Ivey is a tower of strength, and her entire performance rings of truth and eccentricity similar to those of another wonderful Tennessee Williams actress, the late Geraldine Page. Darragh's drunken scenes are honest and funny and, when he first speaks, his Southern inflections bear a striking resemblance to those of the real Williams. Darragh's Tom, a frustrated mama's boy, is more daring and bold than previous Toms, in its overall execution.

Keira Keeley is perfect as Laura, evoking every nuance of self-consciousness but wisely dropping the heavy clump and giving her a quicker more normal pace. McKenzie offers the traditional interpretation of the Gentleman Caller: extremely open, egotistically self-confident and most abundantly polite. Both render model performances.

Michael Yeargan's simplistic hotel room set with a scrim-like wall works most effectively to evoke past events; the suitcase in the hotel room used to store props and clothing for the Wingfields is an ingeniously functional device.

Edelstein's risky but effective restaging and the brilliant work of his cast, especially from Ivey and Darragh make this The Glass Menagerie you cannot afford to miss. It's a bit longer due to the opening setup, but terribly entertaining, emotionally engaging and ultimately fulfilling.