The Glass Menagerie

A four-character play by Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)

The original text

The play 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.

Performance history in South Africa

1949: First produced in South Africa in English at the Little Theatre by Leonard Schach, featuring Rosalie van der Gucht, Jobie Stewart, Rosemary Jean Kirkcaldy, and Colin Romoff. Nigel Hawthorne was the stage manager.

1949: Six months later Leonard Schach produced the same play on a national tour under the National Theatre Organisation banner, using Nita Economides (Laura), Anna Romain Hoffman (Amanda), Will Jamieson, Frank Wise. Decor by Cecil Pym.

1966: On 11 and 12 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). Decor by Joop van Ryswyk.

1967: Speelgoed van Glas was presented by SATS at the Bloemfontein Civic Theatre, 20-22 April, under the direction of Jo Gevers starring himself as Jim O'Connor with Schalk Jacobsz (Tom Wingfield), Mariechen Naudé (Amanda Wingfield) and Annatjie Vorster (Laura Wingfield). Designed by Jo Gevers.

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) directed by Bill Tanner, with Yvonne Bryceland (Amanda Wingfield), Hilary Glasson (Laura Wingfield), Wilson Dunster (Jim O'Connor), Bill Flynn) (Tom Wingfield). Stage manager Totti Ebrahim.

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.