Review: The Glass Menagerie, The Yard Theatre

The Yard Theatre’s final show before closing its doors for renovation is a beautiful interpretation from Artistic Director, Jay Miller. Set amidst the backdrop of the Great Depression in 1930’s St Louis, Tom Wingfield (Tom Varey), an aspiring poet and the play’s narrator, recalls his life at home with his shy and fragile sister Laura (Eva Morgan) and their nostalgic mother Amanda (Sharon Small). Heavily inspired by Tennessee Williams’ own life experiences, Tom is a literary extension of the author, through whose eyes we see the Wingfield family’s internal and financial struggles, the effect the past has on the present, and their individual attempts to escape reality. Tom and Laura’s absent father has a presence throughout (quite literally, as a large portrait on the upstage wall looms over them) and Amanda fears Tom is morphing into him as he escapes the present through drinking, movies and literature. She senses his growing disillusionment with his life as a warehouse worker. 

Amanda is determined to find a ‘gentleman caller’ for Laura, who struggles to adhere to social conventions and expectations for women of her age (in this iteration, Laura does not have a visible physical disability). In comes Jim O’Connor (Jad Sayegh), a work colleague of Tom’s and Laura’s high school crush. Jim is invited for dinner as part of Amanda’s matchmaking scheme and a gorgeous scene emerges as he brings Laura out of her shell. It is tender, sincere and quite devastating, with their choreographed dance a pleasant surprise. But Jim then reveals he is engaged… yet another hope dashed for the Wingfields. 

Cécile Trémolières’ visually stunning stage design transports you to Tom’s fragmented recollections of his life. A large mound of sand, glass and household objects makes for a striking centrepiece. It is joined by a chaise longue, a record player and Laura’s glass menagerie, which is suspended in mid-air, slowly rotating. Miller’s creative, site-specific take means that all corners of the space are utilised. String curtains section off the kitchen, living room and terrace. However, this does obstruct the view of stage right. A wardrobe is used to make actors disappear and reemerge, adding to the snapshot feel of Tom’s memories. 

Sarah Readman’s kaleidoscopic lighting design accentuates the dreamy ambience. The space, shrouded in a smoky haze, is matched with colourful lights and works incredibly well with Miller’s directorial choices: characters’ movements are stylised and stripped back, meaning dialogue and production elements are the main focus.

Although this is not a comedy, humour is injected into the performances throughout. Stone’s Amanda is delightfully cheeky with a youthful energy at points. Yes, she struggles with clinging to her glory days, but she loves her children fiercely, despite her faults. Stone does well to translate Amanda’s complexities, and her interactions with Varey’s Tom are some of the strongest, most touching scenes. Although they sometimes do not see eye to eye, there is an intimacy between the family members. The love they have for each other shines through despite their points of contention, as does the weight of all their unachieved dreams and empty hopes. Varey is a compelling performer right from his opening monologue and he blends Tom’s inner conflicts wonderfully. 

Miller has crafted a singular interpretation of The Glass Menagerie here. Rich with symbolism and visually dazzling, all production elements work in tandem with the layered, complex performances from Varey, Stone and Morgan. Although detailed and imaginative, at times the production feels almost too tech heavy, with a lot of ideas at play. However, it is a fitting final show for The Yard, exemplifying their dedication to pushing boundaries and putting a fresh spin on classics.

Directed by: Jay Miller
Set Design by: Cécile Trémolières
Costumes by: Lambdog1066
Lighting by: Sarah Readman
Sound design by: Josh Anio Grigg
Wigs, hair and makeup by: Dominique Hamilton
Movement direction by: Sung Im Her
Illusion design by: Edward Hilsum

The Glass Menagerie plays at The Yard Theatre until Saturday 10 May.