‘Unknowns ’For Elmwood Play

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 8

‘Unknowns ’For Elmwood Play

A cast of “unknowns” has been assembled by the Elmwood Players for the Tennessee Williams play, “The Glass Menagerie,” which Alex Henderson is producing for a 10-night season, starting on February 22. One member of the cast is making his first appearance for Elmwood, and another is making his first appearance since 1967. Joan Peel, who took the part of a Cockney woman in Elmwood's production of “Major Barbara” last year and was, Mr Henderson said, “quite outstanding” in it, has been given the role of Amanda. i Dorothy Hart, who played i I the second nurse in Elmi wood’s award-winning proI duction of “The Death of l Bessie Smith,” is to appear as Laura.

Martin Harris, who is well known in operatic circles but new to the dramatic stage, will play the part of Tom, the son, and Brian Brodie, last seen in the 1967 production, “Time to Kill,” will be Jim, the gentleman caller. “The Glass Menagerie” will spell an early opening to the Elmwood season, and, al-

though it has been for a long time on the list of plays Mr Henderson would like to produce, it has been chosen mainly for utilitarian reasons. Its great advantage for the producer is its small cast—because at this early stage of the year actors are usually hard to come by. But at the same time it. poses a problem of “bigness.” The play is set on a split level* with an upstairs room, and this is difficult to accommodate on the Elmwood stage, which is only 15 feet across. However, Mr Henderson thinks he will find a solution in carefully choosing furniture so that it communicates the symbolism of the play without crowding out the stage.

This theory will be tested| in the rehearsals, which are due to start about the middle of this month. More rehearsals will start at Elmwood towards the end of the month for a series of three one-act plays, to be selected from the entries in Elmwood’s play-writing competition, the results of which are to be announced in a few days. , There is no guarantee that the winners of the competition will be among these plays. The choice would be governed by the suitability of the play for Elmwood’s stage, size of cast, and the age group at which it was aimed, Mr Henderson said. A children’s play, for example, could well win the competition but be ruled out for production because Elmwood’s productions were aimed at adult audiences. However, it was probable the winning play would be among those chosen for performance, he said.