Now, I have form with Tennessee William's 'The Glass Menagerie'. When I saw it in Toronto five or six years ago I was sitting in the front row right in front of a small table holding a glass menagerie of animals and... I fell asleep. Not snoring, falling over asleep, just nodded off from the warmth in the theatre after the snow and cold outside and a long journey to Canada. But still, I fell asleep. So, it was with trepidation in my heart that I braved the play again, this time at the Young Vic. And I'm pleased I did.
It's quite a depressing play with little joy in life, all the characters having failed to make the most of their lives or done much with their potential. The mother yearns to re-live the gentility of her youth, her son yearns to leave home and leave his life behind him and the gentleman caller yearns to better his life through evening classes. Only the daughter seems content with her life, hiding away at home with her menagerie of glass ornaments. Until one breaks.
It's a very intense play and this production brought that out by having a very shouty lead in Leo Bill with a more subtle performance by Deborah Findley as the mother and a very tender performance by Sinéad Matthews as the disabled sister. Kyle Soller played the young gentleman caller. I was most impressed by Sinéad who made me believe in her disability and complete shyness, her moment of hope and her magnanimity in defeat and accepting her fate. Her performance was very touching. Go and see it if you can.
It's quite a depressing play with little joy in life, all the characters having failed to make the most of their lives or done much with their potential. The mother yearns to re-live the gentility of her youth, her son yearns to leave home and leave his life behind him and the gentleman caller yearns to better his life through evening classes. Only the daughter seems content with her life, hiding away at home with her menagerie of glass ornaments. Until one breaks.
It's a very intense play and this production brought that out by having a very shouty lead in Leo Bill with a more subtle performance by Deborah Findley as the mother and a very tender performance by Sinéad Matthews as the disabled sister. Kyle Soller played the young gentleman caller. I was most impressed by Sinéad who made me believe in her disability and complete shyness, her moment of hope and her magnanimity in defeat and accepting her fate. Her performance was very touching. Go and see it if you can.
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