Review: SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER at COCA's Catherine B Berges Theatre

Immense wealth, like power and influence, can be abused to manipulate truth. SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER is the story of well-off Violet Venable, an egomaniacally self-consumed mother that would maliciously harm an extended family member to protect her son’s image. She is an evil matriarch who will get her way at any cost. Tennessee William’s one act play that is being presented as part of the 8th Annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis (TWSTL).

SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER opens in the garden of an opulent mansion in New Orleans’s Garden District. Violet Venable (Lisa Tejero) is walking Dr. Cukrowicz (Bradley Tejeda) through her deceased son’s lush garden, sharing her deep love for her son, and and her grief over his death the previous summer. Violet tells the doctor what a magnificent poet her son Sebastian was and conveys an unusual obsession with him. As the two discuss the foliage, the conversation turns to the young doctor’s experimental work lobotomizing mentally ill patients to reduce their suffering. Violet speaks of a large donation to further his work, but her gift comes at the expense of her husband’s niece, Catherine (Naima Randolph), who was traveling with Sebastian and witnessed his gruesome death. Catherine is intimately aware of all of Sebastian’s secrets that Violet desperately wants buried with her son. Violet will heinously sacrifice Catherine’s memory to ensure that her son’s character will not be impugned.

Most of the dialogue in Tennessee William’s script is delivered primarily as monologues from Violet and Catherine. Both characters deliver lengthy orations with small reactions or supportive dialogue from the other characters in the play. Violet’s scripted dialogue uses much of the poetic imagery that William’s is known for and is dripping with malevolent scheming hidden behind a mother’s grief. Violet’s intentions are obvious and her words, directed toward the doctor, are elegant and poetic but disturbing. Lisa Tejero’s portrayal of Violet is chilling. She paints Violet as an egocentric and baleful woman draped behind an air of southern properness. Violet’s malicious intent makes her an unlikeable and merciless character and Tejero perfectly captures the characters ruthless intentions.

Catherine’s scripted dialogue is rambling and less precise. When she arrives for the doctor’s consultation, the character is cognizant of the reasons she has been brought to her aunt’s estate. She presents as completely sane, articulately expressing appropriately focused anger toward Violet’s malice aimed at her. Later, when she is being interviewed by the physician, her story about what happened to Sebastian is vague and hazy. Perhaps it is written this way due to her alleged mental illness and the traumatic retelling of her cousin’s death, or because of the effects of the truth serum the doctor injected. Either way, the character’s indistinct ramblings are inconsistent with her ability to communicate in earlier scenes, leading to an unfulfilling conclusion.

Perhaps that is why Naima Randolph’s portrayal as Catherine is confounding. It may well be related to the inconsistencies in the script. Randolph clearly expresses the character’s anger for being unfairly institutionalized, but as she conveys the story of her time with Sebastian leading up to his death, her dialogue is almost indistinguishable. Her emotion overwhelmed the script. At times, Randolph stumbled over her lines. Was that a result of over-emoting or possibly being under-rehearsed? It may have been an acting or directorial choice, but it left more questions than answers about Catherine’s time with Sebastian.

Dr. Cukrowicz (Bradley Tejeda), called Dr. Sugar by Violet, is a role in the play that seems to be there simply to react to Violet’s demands and to give Catherine her platform for talking about her time with Sebastian. Early on, Violet compliments the doctor on his handsome looks, and she tells Dr. Sugar that Sebastian would have thought he was attractive. Tejeda, as Dr. Cukrowicz, is sharply attired in a white linen 3-piece suit that contrasts starkly with his dark wavy hair. He has notable stage presence and is striking as the young handsome doctor, but the role has little substance for Tejeda to dig into.

Catherine’s mother Mrs. Holly (Rengin Altay) and her brother, George (Harrison Farmer) arrive at Violet’s home at the same time as Catherine. Both Mrs. Holly and George have a vested financial interest in Catherine’s evaluation due to considerations of Sebastian’s will. Harrison Farmer’s portrayal of the destitute and needy George is extraordinary as he badgers his sister to give into Violet’s demands. His pleas illustrate how distressed he is over the likelihood of losing the fifty-thousand dollars that has been willed him by his dead cousin. Farmer makes a significant impact in his supporting role, delivering a memorable performance.

James Wolk’s set design and Matthew McCarthy’s lighting design enhance the elegance of the old southern charm of a gothic mansion in Garden District. Dottie Marshall Englis’ period costume design has a formality that is fitting for the time period. The technical crew has created a production that has a sophisticated and stylish look.

TWSTL’s SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER is a fairly well-constructed production of Tennessee William’s play. There is a lot to unpack in the 90-minute psychological drama including maternal obsession, malice, repressed homosexuality, mental illness, manipulation, pedophilia, greed, and cannibalism. Most of it works, some of it doesn’t, and leads to a conclusion that may leave the audience unsatisfied.

SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER runs through September 17th at COCA’s Catherine B Berges Theatre in University City. Visit the link below for more information or to purchase tickets.

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