by Laura Lane
With a trace of guilt and resignation, Tom, our narrator, tells us that "The Glass Menagerie" is a memory play. Hands in his pockets, he shifts back and forth, attempting to appear unaffected by his past, but a cluster of stark white lights surrounding him, cleverly chosen by lighting designer Bernie Genzer of East Meadow, instead lays bare his pathos.
Tom has a secret. Years ago he abandoned his husband-less mother and crippled sister to pursue his dreams. He left to become a poet and writer, and he succeeded.
Tennessee Williams's play is a classic, filled not only with subtleties, but also raw emotion. The cast in the Lantern Theatre's production worked tirelessly on it. Bringing a certain magic to the play, they conveyed a touching vulnerability in leading us to the inevitable heartbreaking conclusion.
Dawn Murdock, as Laura, was hauntingly lovely, fragile and lost, just as the playwright intended. Living in a world of her own, Laura can only relate to the glass animals that she has carefully arranged into a menagerie. Whenever she becomes frightened or confused, the transparent glass animals soothe her.
Jonathan Baker was fine as the Gentleman Caller, a young man who has been brought home to woo Laura. Baker's portrayal, compassionate with an element of bravado, gives us hope for Laura. When The Gentleman Caller admits that he's engaged, that he was really only enjoying a bit of harmless flirtation, it should make you wince. Baker gets kudos for making this reviewer feel just that.
Jody Green's interpretation of Tom, Laura's brother, was honest. Slipping in and out of his reminiscences, Green, from Bellmore, is sometimes cynical, but never angry. And his moments of tenderness with his sister are touching.
Judy Rosemarin as Amanda Wingfield was fabulous. Aggressive and determined, Amanda tries to use her domineering nature to force her children to bring some normalcy into her home. Amanda often replays the happiest moments of her life, her younger days when she was popular and attracted many suitors. Her refusal to see that Laura will never have that experience is tragic.
Amanda means well and loves her children, which Rosemarin succeeded in conveying. She gave Amanda many dimensions, making her pitiable, remarkable, admirable and even vulnerable. Seeing Amanda abandoned once again, this time by her son at the end of the play, is painful. And that's a victory for Rosemarin.
Kathryn Becker, of Bellmore, designed a wonderful set, which helped create just the right tone for the production. She chose worn and faded furniture in shades of beige and brown, which personified the family's emotional and spiritual depravity. The placement of a large, obtrusive photograph of Amanda's smiling husband (who had abandoned the family years before), hung dead center on the wall, added an element of mockery and hopelessness.
Much credit goes to director Ken Schwartzman. Simplicity is the key in this Williams classic, and realizing this, he staged the play minimally. With Schwartzman at the helm, you could assimilate the poetry of Williams's language, and be moved by the emotions that each character shared.
For this reviewer, simplicity led to clarification, granting a new understanding of what Williams intended. Since it's said that "The Glass Menagerie" is somewhat autobiographical, perhaps Williams was looking for a bit of forgiveness. Maybe he was trying to help us understand why Tom had to leave, asking us to forgive him, and maybe even approve of his actions. If we do all that for Tom, we can certainly do it for Williams, too.
The Lantern Theatre, at the Brookside School, will perform "The Foreigner" in March. For further information, call George Garfield at (516) 625-0546.
Comments about this story? Llane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
