My favorite writer of all time is Tennessee Williams. He was born into a dysfunctional family in Mississippi 1911. Most of his plays revolve around family dynamics. My favorite play of his, and of all time is “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. It is an exploration of life, of death, of unrequited love and sexuality, but most of all, it’s about mendacity. The whole play is centered on various family members lying to each other, and in the case of one character, to himself.
“Cat” was written, and it takes place in the present, which would be 1955. A lackluster screen adaptation starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman was done in 1958. While beautiful to view , the movie sanitized the script, taking out the scandalous details, leaving an easily digestible movie for 1958 audience. It has none of the heart or the scandal of the play and Mr. Williams hated it.
I had mixed emotions with MadKap’s production at Skokie Theater. I loved the sound effects and felt they were well-designed. The set was a different story. I liked the hanging moss indicating a southern locale. I would have liked to see more order in the netting surrounding the set. It was extremely thick in certain places and seemed to be thrown onto the backdrop. I understand what the designer was going for. With a little help from the lighting designer this could have been an impressive set, as it is now, it is just functional. The furniture in the bedroom did not suggest a wealthy southern family of means. The vanity was a table with a tablecloth thrown over it, the chaise lounge was a pale gray color, the liquor cabinet was a 1980’s stereo system without the stereo. All these items should assist in telling the audience who these people are. Set design for this show doesn’t begin and end with a brass bed.
The characters in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” are complicated. They have big personalities and even bigger emotions, but so much more than that, they are real people. They shouldn’t be reduced to goofy accents and characterizations. Reid Harrisson O’Connell plays older brother Gooper and Emilie Yount plays perpetually pregnant sister-in-law Mae. O’Connell wore an oversized suit, a rare miss in an otherwise excellent costume design by Beth Laske Miller. I never got the impression Gooper was a successful lawyer. O’Connor played at the character. His body language gave H.S. student trying to play older. His big scene in the third act came off as comical. Yount as Mae fared slightly better. I wanted to see more variety in her characterization….more cat, less bitch.
I love what Kent Joseph did with Big Daddy Pollitt. He showed us all sides of this cancerous and cankerous plantation owner. In him we see parallels between himself and Brick. Like Brick, he believes himself to be surrounded by dishonesty. Also, like Brick, he views his marriage as a sham, and feels nothing but disgust for the woman whom he married. The difference between he and Brick is Big Daddy is being lied to, while Brick is lying to himself. Joseph gave us an honest portrayal of Big Daddy and he was equally yoked with Ann James’ Big Mama. Hers was a loud, tender, and touching performance. A joy to watch.
I wish Caleb Gibson matched the energy of Kent Joseph. I couldn’t get past a weird accent he used. It was a cross between Jim Nabors’ Gomer Pyle (who, incidentally, was gay) and Foghorn Leghorn. A dialect coach would have served this production greatly. Act two of the play is the heart of the drama. We learn the problem with Brick, and Big Daddy learns of his problem. The language is very important. It is not the time to break down sobbing. Gibson, while trying to convince his father he is not “a sissy”, is incoherent because of his crying. We miss a lot of information. It was an issue of over-acting in some places while underacting in others.
Sarah Sapperstein did an amazing job as Maggie the cat. She is strong yet vulnerable. She gives as well as she takes. She is determined yet utterly feminine. We could have asked for more onstage chemistry between Gibson and Sapperstein but her Maggie was one point nonetheless.
I recommend everyone see “Cat on A Hot Tin Roof”, after all, this is Tennessee Williams. The world has changed so much since the 50’s. Writers such as Donja Love, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Jonathan Larson, Tony Kushner as well as others, owe so much to Williams. I owe so much to him; he kept me reading and learning.
“You two had something that had to be kept on ice, yes, incorruptible, yes!--and death was the only icebox where you could keep it....”
― Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Through 11/20: Fri-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 2 PM; also Wed 11/16 1:30 PM, Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln, Skokie, 847-677-7761, skokietheatre.org, $38 ($34 students/seniors)
Individual tickets for Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, LES MISÉRABLES, will go…
Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)'s Pericles, direct from a "triumphant" (The Telegraph) run at the company's home in…
Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the Tony Award®-winning musical, PARADE, will play the CIBC Theatre (18 w. Monroe St.)…
I am delighted that Northlight Theatre chose to produce The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, penned by Daniel Jamieson and expertly…
Kokandy Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024 season with an immersive production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's classic Into The Woods, the first Chicago…
I was skeptical when I learned that Court Theatre was staging "East Texas Hot Links." The Pulitzer prize nominated play…
I chose to review LIGHT SWITCH because the play sounded intriguing, and also because every production I’ve seen at Open…
It’s the top of Act IV, and King Harry (Elijah Jones) stands alone on stage. The lights are dim –…
“Gonna have to study up a little bit if you wanna keep up with the plot ‘cause it’s a complicated…
Broadway In Chicago is delighted to announce the return engagement of THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical,…
“To love the beauty of the mistakes….the imperfect.” Isis Elizabeth, Playwright In Beneath The Willow Tree, playwright Isis Elizabeth weaves…
Producer and Director Jonathan James and The Home Creative Co. are proud to announce the opening of THE OUTSIDERS, the immersive and thrilling adaptation of the…
Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 22nd season with the world premiere of The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby…
Mike Royko is a seminal influence on—and expression of—Chicago culture. Even today, if many locals might not know who Royko…
South Pacific, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite musical…
“This Is Our Youth,” with mesmerizing performances by Kason Chesky as Warren, Grayson Kennedy as Dennis, and Annalie Ciolino as…
BrightSide Theatre will open its 13th season in October, with a play especially appropriate for the Halloween season. Naperville's only professional…
Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce the Golden Snitch Digital Lottery for the upcoming engagement of HARRY POTTER AND THE…
“The House of Ideas,” directed by Terry McCabe, is an aptly named recount of the rise of Marvel Comics and…
I think I’d better begin by answering some questions, starting with ‘WTF is the title of this show?’ to which…
Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce the National Tour of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD launches in Chicago in just…
Though Larry Kramer did not live to see the end of the 2020 COVID-19 lock downs, no doubt his contributions…
Chicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and rarely produced operas, begins its 2024/25 Season, with an exciting and aptly…
TheaterWorksUSA (Barbara Pasternack, Artistic Director; Michael Harrington, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce that after a successful run in the…
“Network” at Invictus Theatre Co. is one fun, funny, exciting show. In this full-throttle Chicago debut at the WIndy City…
Broadway In Chicago is pleased to announce tickets for SOME LIKE IT HOT, the "Super-Sized, All-Out Song-And-Dance Spectacular!" (The New York…
Broadway In Chicago is excited to announce FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK will play Broadway In Chicago's Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place…
Like the waves lapping along the shores of Lake Michigan, there is another wave that is hitting Chicago; a nostalgia…
Citadel Theatre, which was recently honored with Jeff Award nominations for Best Productions and Directors in the Midsize Play and…
Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to celebrate its 25th year, marking a quarter-century of bringing world-class theatre to the heart of…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.