Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "How well you enjoy the Mountain Playhouse production of 'The Glass Menagerie' might depend on whether you've come to see the play or its star, Sandy Duncan.
Duncan and her son, Jeffrey Correia, are playing Amanda and Tom Wingfield, the mother-and-son duo in Tennessee Williams' classic drama that runs through Sept. 27 at the Jennerstown theater."
6 comments:
I come to this article as I'm writing an essay about the spectacle in The Glass Menagerie. This article, and this production, seem to negate all that i'm writing about, and completely focus on the characters (and actress) involved in this particular production. It offers another viewpoint for me to bring to this paper, and points out some interesting elements regarding the tension in the play. I find it particularly interesting that the article mentions sags between the scenes, which I completely understand. As I read the play, I can understand how the timing of the scenes must be perfect in order to continue the flow of the play.
I actually responded earlier to an article discussing the casting choices for this show. My interest was that the show seemed to care more about it famous mother/son leads than the story itself. I expressed interest in increased tension from a real mother/son relationship but unfortunately it seems to not have worked out. Without the tension between Amanda and her children the plot falls apart. There's nothing for Tom's character to hate his life so much if his mother is sweet and loving. The choice to make Amanda sympathetic really just makes Tom look selfish (which to some extent he is), but now the audience lacks any real sympathy for him.
In reading about Ms. Duncan's performance as Amanda I have to wonder if the choice to appear sympathetic was the director's or Ms. Duncan's. Not to doubt the director but when well known "stars" make an appearance appearance their celebrity often affords them a degree of leniency. I would be interested to know whether it was Ms. Duncan's desire to seem likable, or a pointed choice by the director that led to Amanda's newly imagined demeanor. The choice makes the work more of an adaptation of William's work than a straight production as the meaning is changed a significant deal.
I think this play sounds awful. What was this director thinking? I love Tennessee Williams, he is one of my favorite playwrights. The set, actors chosen for the parts, and direction (since it sounds like no one knew their lines) is all lacking. I was the costume designer for Menagerie my 10th grade year in high school. It is not my favorite Williams play but it sounds like they royally screwed it up. this play is way overdone and in my own humble opinion some of his less well known plays are better. It does make me mad that it sounds so terrible. None of the director's choices sound like they have any purpose to put a new spin on the show. It al takes away.
This article describes something that I have noticed in film. Movies tend to try and cast famous actors for several reasons, one of them can be to get people to come see a less than brilliant movie for the actors. In my opinion, this brings the actors down along with the movie because pretty soon all they are doing is work that does not live up to their abilities (If they had any in the first place). In theater, the same problem is present, less often because the majority of good actors will not work on something they don't think is worthwhile. People should go see this play to see the play, and to see these actors interpret the play. Not to see these actors act.
It's admirable that this production chose to portray the relationship between Amanda and Laura in an unexpected way. This is another show that has been done innumerable times, so when someone decides to put on The Glass Menagerie they need to have new ideas. It sounds like this new idea wasn't very successful, but at least the artists took risks.
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