For Thomas, on His 106th Birthday

Four by Tenn – Aston Rep Theatre Company

 

Commemorating the 106th birthday of Thomas Lanier Williams, better known to the world as playwright and poet Tennessee Williams, Aston Rep has drawn together four of his

lesser-known one-act plays and three of his little-known poems and molded them into an evening’s entertainment. Interspersed with recitations of a few of Williams’ forgotten verses, the company presents these works as a celebration of one of twentieth century theatre’s greatest writers. This quartet of plays also sheds light on the genius that has made this Southerner one of the world’s all-time favorite playwrights.

The first play, ably directed by Dana Anderson, is entitled “The Fat Man’s Wife.” Written in 1938, this one-act wasn’t produced until 2004, when it appeared as part of a New York festival of Williams’ more obscure works. In it, Vera (Clarissa Yearman), a sophisticated, middle-aged woman, returns from a New Year’s Eve party with her husband, Joe (Terry Gallagher), a boorish, theatrical producer. Once in their Manhattan apartment, the couple bicker about his continual flirtation with every lovely actress he casts. Vera, however, has spent the evening toying with the affections of Dennis (a promising Liam MacDougall), a handsome, young, up-and-coming playwright. Now she must choose between her young admirer and her crude, ill-mannered husband.

Written in 1941, “At Liberty,” tells about a self-centered young actress named Bessie, who once performed under the stage name of Gloria (played by a spirited Tracey Green). She’s returned to her family home in rural Mississippi and to the protective care of her doting mother (Mary Mikva). Gloria is flighty and plaintive, coughing and complaining of a hoarse throat and suffering with a fever. However, nothing her mother says will calm Gloria and keep her home in bed, where she belongs. She’s bound and determined to do whatever it takes to resuscitate her theatrical career. Directed by Heather Branham Green, this play feels more like a character sketch or an except from a longer play.

In “Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen,” nicely directed by Georgette Verdin, an unmarried man and woman share a modest, almost barren room. The Woman (a very talented and riveting Sara Pavlak McGuire) is filled with anxiety and desperation; the Man (played by Nick Bryant, another exciting and promising young actor) is an unapologetic alcoholic. Both characters seem to be trapped in a repetitious loop of poverty, in this 1953 drama, and Williams’ dialogue here is especially poetic and almost feels surrealistic.

The final play of the evening is the 1970 one-act, “I Can’t Imagine Tomorrow.” It seems as if Artistic Director Robert Tobin has wisely saved the best for last. Directed with sensitivity by Amy Kasper, this one-act was originally written to be part of a television special, together with “Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen,” that was entitled Dragon Country. Both two-character dramas focus on a different pair of lonely individuals, each battling his own personal demons while trying to connect with another person.

In this play, the sweetly amiable and supremely talented Michelle McKenzie-Voigt breathes life into a humorous, spunky spinster, who appears to be dealing with some kind of unspoken illness. Nightly, she offers sustenance, a game of cards and some loving companionship to a terribly shy neighbor, a teacher who suffers from a debilitating speech impairment. He’s played with unflinching realism and empathy by Christopher Meister. In this play, the best of the batch, audiences will be left with a portrait of heartache and loneliness that best reflects the spirit of Tennessee Williams’ finest, full-length works.

What makes this evening of four, seldom seen Tennessee Williams one-acts so special is that it’s like a theatrical sampler plate by one of America’s greatest playwrights. Audiences who love Williams’ classics, like “A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Glass Menagerie,” to name just a few, will revel in this 80-minute collection of his shorter dramas and poems. Besides offering a glimpse into the playwright’s genius, the savvy theatergoer will recognize the origin of his other, longer plays. It’s an entertaining and informative presentation that will whet appetites for more Williams, more often.

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

 

Presented  March 26-April 4 by Aston Rep Theatre Company at Strawdog Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available by calling 773-828-9129 or by going to www.AstonRep.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.