The Glass Menagerie
A four-character play by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) which premiered in Chicago 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on Williams himself, his histrionic mother, and his mentally fragile sister Rose. In writing the play, Williams drew on an earlier short story, as well as a screenplay he had written under the title of The Gentleman Caller.
Translations and adaptations
Translated into Afrikaans as Speelgoed van Glas ("Toys of Glass") by W.K. Grobler (W.H. Grobler?).
Performance history in South Africa
1949: First produced in South Africa at the Little Theatre by Leonard Schach, featuring Rosalie van der Gucht, Jobie Stewart, Rosemary Kirkcaldy, and Colin Romoff. Nigel Hawthorne was the stage manager.
1949: Six months later Schach produced the same play on a National tour under the NTO banner, using Nita Economides, Anna Romain Hoffman, Will Jamieson, Frank Wise. Decor by Cecil Pym.
1966: In November the Bellvillese Afrikaanse Toneelvereniging (B.A.T.) staged a production of the Afrikaans translation Speelgoed van Glas on the occasion of the society's 15th anniversary, in the Civic Centre in Bellville, directed by Iris Roux, with Mees Xteen (Tom), Marie van Heerden (Amanda), Sariana Augustyn (Laura) and Casper Venter (Jim).
1971: Staged by Volksteater Pretoria, directed by Mario Schiess, with Willie Boshoff (Tom), Enone van den Bergh (Amanda), Stephanie van Niekerk (Laura) and Roeloff van den Bergh (Jim).
Many great productions over the years, often done by University drama departments.
1974: The Space (Cape Town) (1974, directed by Bill Tanner, with i.a. Yvonne Bryceland, Wilson Dunster, Bill Flynn), ***.
1981: Directed by Lucille Gillwald at Upstairs at the Market in 1981 starring Lesley Nott and Shelagh Holliday.
1984: Staged by PACOFS, directed by Schalk Jacobsz with Joey de Koker and Christo Potgieter.
1989: Presented by the Baxter Theatre,opening at the Baxter Sudio 22 September, revived 20 December 1989, starring Brenda Wood, Stephen Jennings, Michelle Scott and Geoffrey Hyland. Directed by Fred Abrahamse, design by Brian Collins.
Sources
Wikipedia [1]
Inskip, 1977. p 119,
Astbury 1979.
Volkteater theatre programme, 1971.
Behrens, 1978.
PACOFS Drama 25 Years, 1963-1988
Baxter Theatre pamphlet, October-November 1989.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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