In a small apartment in 1930s St Louis, Amanda Wingfield and her two children, Tom and Laura, spin singular and separate dreams. Tom is torn between his obligation to his family and his desire to break away from the suffocating embrace of his mother and his shy and frail sister, whose memory he will never escape. Abandoned by her husband, Amanda comforts herself with recollections of her earlier, more gracious life in the American Deep South, when she was pursued by ‘gentlemen callers’.
Now she fights to provide a better life for her grown children, while they struggle for a future that seems unlikely ever to fulfil their mother’s hopes and dreams. But a change in fortune suddenly seems possible when a handsome and mysterious young visitor arrives without warning.
The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams’ semi-autobiographical evocation of loneliness and lost love, is one of his most powerful and moving plays; an unforgettable American classic.
Under the direction of Artistic Associate Shannon Rush, this production will feature some of Adelaide’s finest performers including the incomparable Ksenja Logos (fresh from her acclaimed turns in The Dictionary of Lost Words and Gaslight) as Amanda and Kathryn Adams (the scene-stealing star of Antigone, Single Asian Female and Welcome to Your New Life) as Laura.
Rush said this classic play has enduring appeal. “The Glass Menagerie is a timeless classic, and I’m honoured to have the opportunity to direct it. One of the things I love most about the play is its exploration of human needs and desires, and the obstacles that hinder their fulfilment,” Rush said.
The play’s emphasis on revisiting moments in memory and interpreting life’s experiences is rich with potential, making it a loved play that still holds relevance with modern audiences. Williams masterfully creates emotionally compelling characters and intricate family dynamics, seamlessly blending reality and dreamscape.
The Glass Menagerie will be at The Odeon Theatre in Norwood, where State Theatre Company South Australia will present its A Date With State program on November 26, 1pm.
A Date With State includes morning tea before the show to support older and socially isolated patrons to continue to attend the theatre despite life changes, such as the loss of a partner or new living circumstances.
The season of The Glass Menagerie also includes an audio described performance where patrons can receive an earpiece in which a specially trained describer explains the action that is happening onstage; and pre-show briefings held one hour prior to audio described performances.
The briefing allows patrons to take a tactile tour of the show with an opportunity to touch costumes and, where possible, to walk on the stage to get a sense of the set. Participants also meet the actors and hear the voices they will be using for their characters. To participate in a pre-show briefing, meet in the foyer of the performance venue an hour before the show is due to begin.
“The Odeon Theatre’s intimate setting provides an ideal environment for this production, in which Mark Thompson’s evocative set design will vividly transform the venue into 1930s St. Louis. Our exceptionally talented cast will bring this story to life so beautifully and I can’t wait to begin rehearsals in October,” Rush added.
Special dates
The Glass Menagerie audio described performances and pre-show briefing for blind and low-vision patrons: Tuesday 25 November – 5.30pm (briefing), 6.30pm (performance with post-show Q&A) Wednesday 26 November – A Date with State, 1pm Saturday 29 November – 1pm (briefing), 2pm (performance
THE GLASS MENAGERIE by Tennessee Williams is at Odeon Theatre from 15 November to 7 December. Tickets at statetheatrecompany.com.au
