A FINAL BOW FOR THE YARD THEATRE

By Trisha Cusack ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

When it comes to our past, how do we choose to remember it, and can we ever truly leave it behind? These are some of the questions explored in The Yard Theatre’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ classic play, The Glass Menagerie. 

Directed by Jay Miller, Founder of The Yard, the Glass Menagerie brings together a strong four-person cast featuring stage and television veteran, Sharon Small, the talented Tom Varey, and it marks the professional debuts of Eva Morgan and Jad Sayegh. Together they compellingly tell the tale of narrator Tom Wingfield’s last memories of his family, however accurate or inaccurate they may be. 

For those unfamiliar with Williams’ work, which was originally produced in 1944, what will resonate for many are the powerful themes of complex family dynamics, the feeling of being trapped, and a desire for more out of life, all of which are well excavated throughout the two and a half hour run time (which includes an intermission). 

The characters, each representing different aspects of human nature, are portrayed beautifully, filling the theatre with palpable emotion. Small commands the stage as complicated matriarch Amanda. Throughout the play, Small’s convincing performance of the aged Southern Belle caused me to feel both sympathy for and frustration at the woman who is so devoted to her children to the point of driving them both demented. While Miller’s version is slightly less domineering than in Williams’ original play, I still felt the hot and coldness of a mother who yearns for her lost youth and is dealing with her unfortunate reality. 

The rest of the cast also holds their own, embodying their roles wholly. Varey accurately conveys a young man struggling between his familial duty and needing to escape and start his own life, while also playing the role of observer of his own memories in an interesting method that translates well on set. 

Morgan, as the delicate Laura, captures her innocence with such poise it is surprising that this is her debut role. The fragility of Laura’s condition, yet her desire to not be seen as so is captured so elegantly through Morgan’s facial expressions, proving the most powerful messages are sometimes not said with words. 

Lastly, while Sayegh, whose cheerful, All-American Jim O’Connor acts as a foil to Tom, doesn’t get as much opportunity to showcase his range of emotive acting skills, he nevertheless brings a smoothness and light to the role which highlights the juxtaposition between the two men and their circumstances. 

What sets this play apart from being a traditional adaptation is the staging. The clever use of contemporary, electronic soundscapes and dynamic lighting creates a surreal atmosphere, subtlety reminding you that what you are seeing is a memory. Despite the play being set in the 1930s, this method of creativity injects freshness into the show, preventing it from feeling outdated. Miller and his team have created a truly unique experience that is representative of the envelope pushing creativity The Yard is known for. 

The performance marks a fitting tribute as the final production at The Yard Theatre in its current form. The theatre, first created as a 6-month pop up in 2011, is set to be replaced with a larger, purpose-built theatre in 2026. While there, you can feel a sense of poignancy around the parallels between The Glass Menagerie and the theatre – as Tom Wingfield looks on at his past, we the audience watch on, committing this experience of The Yard to our own memories. 

The Glass Menagerie and its cast deliver a highly convincing rendition of this well-known play, adding a modern twist through its communication beyond the dialogue. As The Yard takes its final bow, it ends on a high note. 

The Glass Menagerie is running at The Yard Theatre until 10 May. 

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Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan