This 20th-century American playwright is renowned for his deeply psychological dramas, which often explore vulnerability, desperation, and the complexities of human relationships. His work is characterized by poetic language and intense emotional portraits of characters battling their inner demons and societal pressures. Williams masterfully captured the bittersweet realities of life, frequently set against the backdrop of a nostalgic South. His plays have become cornerstones of American theater, continuing to resonate with audiences for their raw honesty and artistic brilliance.
The collection features early writings by Thomas Lanier Williams, showcasing his distinctive voice before he gained fame as a playwright. Set against the backdrop of Missouri, these tales reveal the foundational elements of his storytelling style, offering a glimpse into the themes and character development that would later define his renowned works.
Set in post-war New Orleans, this iconic play explores themes of desire, mental health, and the clash between reality and illusion through the tragic story of Blanche DuBois. As she seeks refuge with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley, tensions rise, revealing deep-seated conflicts and the fragility of human relationships. Tennessee Williams masterfully captures the complexities of his characters, making it a seminal work in American theater that continues to resonate with audiences today.
This collection features lesser-known one-act plays by Tennessee Williams, showcasing his blend of humor and unsettling themes. Notable pieces include "Now the Cats With Jeweled Claws," where Upper East Side women navigate an apocalypse, and "Steps Must Be Gentle," where poet Hart Crane faces his mother underwater. The volume also includes five unpublished works, such as "A Recluse and His Guest" and "The Strange Play," which encapsulates a woman's life in just twenty-four hours. Edited by Thomas Keith, it includes an introduction and notes.
The book features a series of insightful interviews with the renowned playwright known for his impactful works such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Glass Menagerie. These conversations delve into his creative process, the themes of his plays, and his reflections on the theater's role in society. Readers gain a deeper understanding of his artistic vision and the personal experiences that shaped his iconic characters and narratives.
Two of Tennessee Williams's most revered dramas in a single paperback edition for the first time. Orpheus Descending is a love story, a plea for spiritual and artistic freedom, as well as a portrait of racism and intolerance. When charismatic drifter Valentine Xavier arrives in a Mississippi Delta town with his guitar and snakeskin jacket, he becomes a trigger for hatred and a magnet for three outcast storekeeper Lady Torrance, “lewd vagrant” Carol Cutrere, and religious visionary Vee Talbot. Suddenly Last Summer , described by its author as a “short morality play,” has become one of his most notorious works due in no small part to the film version starring Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, and Montgomery Clift that shocked audiences in 1959. A menacing tale of madness, jealousy, and denial,the horrors in Suddenly Last Summer build to a heart-stopping conclusion. With perceptive new introductions by playwright Martin Sherman ― he reframes Orpheus Descending in a political context and explores the psychology and sensationalism surrounding Suddenly Last Summer ― this volume also offers Williams’s related essay, “The Past, the Present, and the Perhaps,” and a chronology of the playwright’s life and works.
Tennessee Williams' lesser-known one act plays reveal a tantalising and fascinating perspective to one of the world's most important playwrights.
This new volume gathers some of Williams' most exuberant early work and includes one-acts that he would later expand to powerful full-length dramas, including "The Pretty Trap," a cheerful take on "The Glass Menagerie," and "Interior: Panic," a stunning precursor to "A Streetcar Named Desire."