Review of ‘The Glass Menagerie’: “A grasp of blue roses”

Tennessee Williams’s masterpiece returns to the London stage in a reimagined production playing at The Yard Theatre until mid-May. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this new approach on the classic allows its original essence to crystallise.

In Spain there was Guernica! But here there was only hot swing music and liquor… We all hold feelings of bittersweet fondness to the place where we raised – some of us, not wishing to relive them ever again. If something has made Tennessee Williams’s semi-autobiographical play survive over the years, that is the fact that no matter which corner of the world we come from, many of us have dealt with the angst, frustration, and suffering of a household built on and for its own destruction.

The Glass Menagerie has perpetuated its status as a classic since its original opening in 1944. From then on, countless approaches on this American South tragedy have populated both the stage and screen – with two major versions revisiting the London scene in the last couple of years alone.

Remaking a previous work is never easy. Remaking a perfect one is almost impossible. Director Jay Miller undertakes that challenge with grace. Regardless of how detached from reality his visual style may seem at the beginning, his take on the piece proves perfect understanding not only of its core themes and framing devices, but also of Williams’s conceptualization of what his theatre is all about.

The expressionistic traits of the material are brilliantly encapsulated through the production’s oneiric, fantasy-like staging. Saturated colours fill its decaying fairy tale atmosphere, where a mixture of nostalgic allure and painful remembering coexist in clashing harmony.

Its symbolic blocking, accentuating the lead’s conflicted memories, solidify the aesthetic strength of the performance – put together with flawless attention to its subtext and emotional significance. As a result, the show presents us with a childish, almost clownish surface – a choice which may look slightly far-fetched at the beginning, but whose exceptional gravitas doesn’t take long to come out as the story unfolds.

Consequently, the blend of reject and endearment the protagonist projects towards his past become extremely palpable to the viewer. As much as the script’s comedic devices are still functional, this particular rendition gives audiences very little room for comfort. It’s excruciating to watch at some moments – and that’s precisely what makes it so delightful to experience.

Pity, grief, anger, and exasperation. No other sentiments can better describe our reaction to the cast’s portrayals – not because of their lack of quality, but actually how full of it they are. The degree of honesty and depth put into every character is as refreshing as it’s surprising – with none of them displaying any single flaw whatsoever. Their chemistry, flair, and energy work in complete tandem, regaling us with a superb interpretation collectively driven by presence, deftness, and gripping truthfulness.

With each member flaunting exceptional command of their roles, the highest praise goes to Tom Varey as Tom Wingfield – delivering the part with piercing compassion, and securing the characters’ resonance and relatability by bringing out the fragility of his broken soul. At the same time, Sharon Small makes another memorable contribution as the overcontrolling mother, Amanda – not restraining the toxic aspects of her personality, but also allowing some sympathy into them by letting her humanity pour through.

You won’t be happy about this play. And that’s exactly the point of it. But the aridity of its universe is the basis of its magnetism – something that this latest production of The Glass Menagerie has grasped and even pushed forward with immaculate dexterity. Wondrous in appearance and sincere in feel, Miller’s reimagining of Williams’s turning-point piece makes it a landmark in its own right – embroidering the sharpness and poignancy of the original material through a unique rendering of its elements; where the purity of its artistry serves as the beacon for the lights and shadows of the world it depicts.

All pictures credit to Manuel Harlan.

The Glass Menagerie plays at London’s The Yard Theatre until 10 May. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara