'The Glass Menagerie' at Gloucester Stage Company Astounds Audiences

Time is the longest distance between two places.

Gloucester Stage Company presents Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie. The story follows the strained life of the Wingfield family in 1940s St. Louis. Tom Wingfield seeks escape from his overbearing mother, Amanda, and his shy, disabled sister, Laura.

I saw The Glass Menagerie over a decade ago, and I didn’t realize how much I needed a refresher until watching this vivid, layered, and resounding presentation at the Gloucester Stage Company. The Glass Menagerie lingers in your memory, encompassing in-depth relationships, themes, and interpretation. How does escaping from reality affect our situations?

This production features outstanding performances by Adrianne Krstansky (Amanda Wingfield), De’Lon Grant (Tom Wingfield), Liza Giangrande (Laura Wingfield), and Patrick O’Konis (Jim O’Connor). They achieve astounding deliveries and studies of their characters. They all read the play in school and were fascinated by the story’s themes.

The Wingfields have a conflicting, yet compelling dynamic that is engrossing to watch. The actors unfold an aching family dynamic that’s fighting for unreachable wishes. You learn so much about the characters with every dialogue exchange and physical movement.

Amanda and Tom are always battling in arguments, visualizing different dreams. Amanda lingers in the past while Tom is weighed down by unwanted family obligations. Krstansky and Grant are excellent, disappearing into their characters’ roots. Grant’s magnetic performance as Tom is a highlight, bearing an incredible speaking voice.

Laura is studied effectively by Giangrande, from her character’s limp to embodying Laura’s shy nature. Laura remains in her own world, entranced by her glass collection. I like the detail of how she avoided conflict, hiding in the dark corners.

In the show’s talkback, Giangrande expressed how she wanted to make this character feel real. She said that if the play were set in today’s modern world, “Laura’s life would be fine now,” Giangrande remarked.

The second act introduces Jim O’Connor, the ‘gentleman caller’ for Laura. No character in Glass Menagerie is simple. O’Konis played this character effectively, portraying a polite charm and representing an unexplored path. Laura and Jim share a spark that hasn’t been seen in the story. This scene is beautifully done. I sensed the vast change in the mood of the audience.

One of the most riveting elements of this production is the set design. Gloucester Stage made excellent use of its black box theater. In Act 1, the stage is stripped of furniture and props until it reappears in Act 2. Surrounding the stage is a dark and tattered translucent curtain.

Lighting is also incorporated, enhancing the mood with soft and hazy tones. It was a potent idea, especially in the play’s telling as a memory. How one recalls memories is more essential than you realize. What objects does your memory hang onto?

In the show’s talkback, production opened discussion to the audience, asking them how they interpreted the set design. Answers derived from the curtain of reality and memory, to a Wizard of Oz theory, or how an outsider views the Wingfield’s empty world.

There was also discussion on racial themes and how the play would be different in today’s world. That’s what I love about theater. It’s a collective share of ideas that enhance the themes and meaning of the show.

The Glass Menagerie is a play that’s always haunted director Doug Lockwood. It’s about many things. He made his vision open-minded, evoking profound scenes and relationships. His connection to Glass Menagerie is evident in every detail of the show, creating a beautiful experience that audiences marveled at.

The Glass Menagerie runs until June 28 at Gloucester Stage Company. It’s a stirring production that is not to be missed.