Everything in the Garden

Suddenly Last Summer – Raven Theatre

 

Raven Theatre continues their homage to Tennessee Williams and his writing with a sterling production of one of the playwright’s seldom-seen dramas. Often this 90-minute one-act is presented in a double bill along with another of William’s one-acts entitled “Something Unspoken,” under the umbrella title of “Garden District.” Both plays were written in 1958 and are set in the deep South, but only “Suddenly Last Summer” actually takes place in the Garden District of New Orleans. The play became a popular, Oscar-nominated film just a year later. It starred Elizabeth Taylor, Katherine Hepburn and Montgomery Clift and added some additional scenes that took place outside of the Garden District. 

The play, which is set in 1938, is confined primarily to the jungle-like garden of the Victorian Gothic style mansion that belongs to wealthy Violet Venable and son Sebastian. Mrs. Venable suffered a stroke a year ago, which makes walking and standing difficult; but while her face had been temporarily paralyzed, she’s returned to better health and can now speak perfectly. 

As the story begins, handsome, young Dr. Cukrowicz has arrived, at Mrs. Venable’s invitation. The brilliant psychiatrist’s been promised a substantial monetary gift for research if he’ll perform a lobotomy on Mrs. Venable’s niece, Catherine. The reason for her demand is to forever silence Catherine from spreading her bizarre stories regarding the strange, violent death of her cousin, Sebastian. She’s been confined in a private mental institution, at her Aunt Violet’s request, following a lengthy Summer European holiday Catherine took with him, while Mrs. Venable was recovering.

 In his mother’s eyes, Sebastian was sensitive, a poet and a perfect, style-conscious gentleman. However, the picture that Catherine paints is very different. She tells of a young man with dark, unusual tastes and a sexual interest in men. Then she relates the tragic, horrifying final moments of Sebastian’s life, this time under the guise of being injected with a truth serum. Catherine’s story completely shocks Mrs. Venable and everyone in attendance, and the play ends with an anguished outburst.

Freelance director Jason Gerace, a Jeff Award-winner for guiding Strawdog Theatre’s inspired production of “Great Expectations,” has delivered a finely honed version of Williams’ controversial drama. He’s assembled a magnificent cast, led by Mary K. Nigohosian, as wealthy Mrs. Violet Venable, and Grayson Heyl, as Catherine. This play belongs almost entirely to these two strong, detail-conscious actresses. Ms. Nigohosian creates a stubborn, self-entitled dowager of the deep South, for whom the only truths are those that she professes. Her Mrs. Venable clearly demonstrates that all those around her are her inferiors and on this earth merely to serve her wishes. This includes Dr. Cukrowicz, nicely played by Chicago actor, Wardell Julius Clark. Ms. Nigohosian creates a frightening tyrant who’s demands are not to be ignored.

Grayson Heyl, who caught the attention of audiences at Door County Shakespeare, and later in Citadel Theatre’s production of “Elemeno Pea,” is extraordinary as Catherine. This actress beautifully plays a young woman with intensity, tormented by the strange events of a summer trip with her cousin that ended in horror. She especially conveys her character’s torture that no one believes her honest depiction of the Sebastian she knew, nor her account of their shocking final days together in Spain. 

This is perhaps Williams’ most poetic play. He incorporates many symbolic details, from the Venable’s Southern Gothic mansion, to Sebastian’s jungle-like garden, with its Venus flytrap and other tropical plants. The playwright even foreshadows Catherine’s scandalous story by having Mrs. Venable give her own account to the doctor about a trip to the Galapagos Islands. There she accompanied Sebastian to the beach to witness the hatching of thousands of defenseless sea turtles, who were immediately devoured by a massive flock of black birds.

Visually, this may be one of Raven Theatre’s finest productions. Joanna Iwanicka’s gorgeous scenic design makes great use of the theatre’s vast East Stage. She’s created a lush, tropical enviroment, shrouded in mist and walled in by a wrought iron fence. The scene is overshadowed by the giant, louver-shuttered facade of the Venable mansion. Downstage left is a tasteful, patio table setting which allows all the action to be brought into the wild, jungle-like outdoors. Lit with gloomy atmosphere by Claire Chrzan, with an appropriate aural palette painted by sound designer Christopher Kriz, Mary O’Dowd has propped and dressed the setting with care and authenticity. Brittany Dee Bodley’s costumes are especially lovely and appropriate to the time period; and Kathy Logelin has worked her own magic with her dialect coaching.

This excellent followup or companion piece to Raven’s biographical production about Tennessee Williams, “The Gentleman Caller,” is another artistic and dramatic achievement for this theatre. Jason Gerace’s direction is spot-on and his entire cast makes this story come alive in a production that would’ve made the playwright proud.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas 

 

Presented May 2-June 17 by Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago.

Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 773-338-2177 or by going to www.raventheatre.com.

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