The Glass Menagerie
written by Tennessee Williams
21, 22 & 23 January, 1988
The Glass Menagerie was written in 1945 and was largely autobiographical in nature. The action sees the mature Tom looking back to the days before the war when he was dreaming of a life filled with wild adventure whilst his mother was trying to build simple normality for his sister Laura.
As the narrator says, much of the story is sentimental in nature, in particular the character of Laura. The play avoids being a soap opera, however, entirely through the sensitivity of Williams' writing.
Thomas Lanier (Tennessee) Williams was born in 1911 in Colombus, Mississippi. He moved to St Louis at the age of twelve. His first job was in a shoe factory during the depression when he wrote short stories in his spare time. Among his other plays are 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
He died in 1983.
Programme Notes
No Mean Company was founded in April 1986 by Theatre Director Robert Robson and Scottish Playwright Tom McGrath. Luanched under the original banner of the 'Adult Drama Group' the intention was to provide a forum for the over eighteen's to operate in a community drama situation of both workshops and live performance.
The membership was drawn form a variety of sources including new recruits, long time friends of the theatre and graduates of Cumbernauld Youth Theatre. Following the performance of a short review, Robert Robson directed the company in their first full length production of Howard Brenton's 'Epsom Downs' in November 86.
From this time on the group began to take the reins themselves and have produced 'Crimes of Passion' - a second review and Nowel Coward's 'Fumed Oak' in the sutdio.
The 'Glass Menagerie' is the company's first American play.
Upcoming projects include a second Joe Orton double bill and a studio production of 'Chamber Music'.
The group is always on the look out for new members to come along to their regular Wednesday evening meetings.
Directors, Actors, Singer, Musicians and back stage crew are alway welcome.
No Mean Company operates within Cumbernauld Theatre as the third wing of a community drama group which also includes the Youth Theatre and Junior Workshops. As such the company cannot operate without considerable help from the theatre.
Theatre Director, Robert Robson, quickly lent his support to this produciton and arranged rehearsal space at a particularly difficult time with the pantomime running over the festive period.
David Taylor and Dot McIntosh did their usual excellent job of keeping the group posted on all administrative matters.
Special thanks must go to the theatre's Technical Manager, William M. Winter and his assistant, Mike Dorrance, for making the impossible look easy and the unlikely seem inevitable. In this they were supported by all round friend of the theatre, Chris Traquair.
No Mean Feat
Cumbernauld News 1988
Classic play from local drama group.
Cumbernauld's youngest community theatre group, No Mean Company, later this week tackles Tennessee Williams' brooding classic "The Glass Menagerie" at the Cumbernauld Theatre.
The group is staging the play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, after previous successful renditions of plays by Howard Brenton, Joe Orton and Noel Coward.
Cast member Geoff Beattie told the New: "The play is about a young crippled girl who lives - surrounded by her menagerie of glass animals - with her brother, who is also something of a dreamer.
"But her mother wants her daughter to start linving, and she gets her son to bring one ohis friends home from work. But things don't turn out as planned".
The climax had a shattering effect on the glass menagerie.
The play starts each evening at 7.45 pm, with tickets costing £2.50 (concessions £1.25).
This Was No Mean Feat
Cumbernauld News 1988
No Mean Company has come of age with its latest performance, "The Glass Menagerie".
The company has shown it is a force to be reckoned with through its production of the classic American play.
Just two months after it's first anniversary, No Mean Company tackled this Tennessee Williams play - a difficult enough task for many older theatre groups, both professional and amateur.
Final Scene
The fact that the company carried off this production successfully augurs well for the future.
The beauty of Williams' writing came over clearly, particularly in the narration scenes, which were sensitively handled by Marshall Paterson as Tom. He also managed to capture the character's frustration and make his desire for adventure believable.
The final scene, with Tom looking back to his sister Laura, was beautifully handled.
As Laura, Carol Waterson was well-suited to the part of the painfully shy girl, crippled by more than her physical handcap. Carol was particularly good i the scene where her first "gentlemand caller" looks lie fulfilling her wishes, only to shatter them as surely as the little glass unicorn.
Faded
The demanding part of Amanda Wingfield, Tom and Laura's mother, was well-played by Marion McLellan. Marion protrayed the fading gentility of the Southern belle, veering from hectoring her children to welcoming her guest in fine style.
Feoff Beattie, playing the "gentleman caller" Jim O'Conner, played the part of the catalyst which finally leads to Tom quitting the house, leaving Laura to herself.
Although on stage for a relatively short time, Geoff made his main impact during the scene with Laura, when all his arrogant self-confidence isn't enough to help her when reality, in the form of his long-term girlfriend, finally intrudes.
Daring
In her first attempt at direction with the company, Jill McIlwraith is to be congratulated - first for daring to present such a difficult show, then for pulling it off.
Set, costumes and music in particular combined to make it a well thought out production and any inexperience is bound to disappear as No Mean Company become more confident in future productions.
