Summer and Smoke

C+

This revival of Tennessee Williams’s 1948 drama marks the first time that either of the two co-producers, Classic Stage Company (CSC) and Transport Group, has presented one of his works. Williams, who took over three years to write the play, was never fully satisfied with it and ended up revising it substantially under the title The Eccentricities of a Nightingale in 1964. Nevertheless, it has been frequently revived, probably because the juicy part of Alma Winemiller has been catnip to a series of fine actresses including Anne Jackson, Geraldine Page, Betsy Palmer, Mary McDonnell, Laila Robins and Amanda Plummer. This time around, Marin Ireland (Big Knife, reasons to be pretty), does the honors, giving a solid performance as the neurasthenic preacher’s daughter who falls in love with the boy next door, John Buchanan (a fine Nathan Darrow; Richard III), son of the town doctor (Phillip Clark; Come Back, Little Sheba). Alma, who is quick to point out that her name is Spanish for “soul,” is looking for spiritual love while John is a sensualist wastrel. He argues that his anatomy chart has no place for a soul. Alma’s father Rev. Winemiller (T. Ryder Smith; Oslo) is strict with her and her mother (Barbara Walsh; Falsettos) is emotionally challenged. Alma gives voice lessons; her favorite pupil is Nellie Ewell (Hannah Elless), a talentless girl with a disreputable mother. John becomes involved with a Mexican beauty Rosa Gonzales (Elena Hurst) whose father (Gerardo Rodriguez) owns the local casino. A tragedy leads John and Alma to reconsider their lives and they essentially switch their philosophical positions. This being a Tennessee Williams play, don’t expect things to end well for the heroine. The minimalist set design by Dane Laffrey (Come Back, Little Sheba) presents a long white rectangle overhung by a matching white dropped ceiling with no props except six antique chairs, an easel with an oil painting representing the angel sculpture/fountain in the town square and, for part of the play, another easel with an anatomy chart. With no other props, the actors must mime such acts as making a phone call, using a stethoscope and eating an ice cream cone. The lack of any division of space sometimes makes it difficult to discern where a scene is taking place. Kathryn Rohe’s costumes effectively set the period as early 20th century.  Director Jack Cummings III; Strange Interlude), artistic director of Transport Group, deals effectively with the problem of playing to an audience seated on three sides. I was glad to have the opportunity to see this minor play by an important American playwright, but I disliked a lot about the production. Running time: two hours 30 minutes including intermission. 

NOTE: CSC managed to annoy me before the play even began. As usual, I had to run the gauntlet of coffee house patrons to get their box office. Today, after making it to the auditorium, I learned that programs would not be distributed until after the play. For no discernible reason, the audience was forced to watch the play without the names of the actors, the setting of the play or whether there would be an intermission. I cannot think of any possible justification for this policy. When I finally got my hands on the program, I perused it carefully for possible “spoilers” but could find nothing other than the fact that one of the actors is married to the director. I hope they stop this ridiculous policy immediately.