Lillian Hellman's Autumn Garden at Williamstown Theatre Festival
All's Well That Ends Well
By: Charles Giuliano - Aug 17, 2007
Autumn Garden by Lillian Hellman
Directed by David Jones; Sets, Thomas Lynch; Costumes, Illona Somogyi; Lights, David Weiner; Sound, John Gromada; Production Stage Manager, Matthew Silver; Production Manager, Michael Wade; Casting, Tara Rubin Casting: Cast in order of speaking: Maryann Plunkett (Rose Griggs), Elizabeth Franz (Mrs. Mary Ellis), Brian Kerwin (General Benjamin Griggs), Rufus Collins (Edward Crossman), Eric Murdoch (Frederick Ellis), Mamie Gummer (Sophie Tuckerman), Rama C. Marshall (Leon), Allison Janney (Constance Tuckerman), John Benjamin Hickey (Nicholas Denery), Brooke Parks (Hilda), Jessica Hecht (Nina Denery). The Williamstown Theatre Festival, August 15-26.
There was a nip of fall air last night as the Williamstown Theatre Festival presented its final production of the summer season, Lillian Hellman's (1905-1984) Autumn Garden (1951). There was a subtle confluence of art and real life as the play, set in a former mansion and guest house along the Louisiana coast a hundred miles from New Orleans, is winding down its season. By the end of the play the motley assembly of guests are departing as well as sorting out the shards of brief but shattering interactions.
With the superb and even handed pace and direction of David Jones and a wonderful ensemble of actors this is a strong finish to a diverse season for WTF and its artistic director, Roger Rees. As the summer waxed and waned there were plays that were too hot, and some that were too cool, but this satisfying final production seemed just right.
Which may also imply just a bit tepid. Although Hellman described this play as her "favorite piece of writing" it was not well received when it debuted in 1951 and is not the most popular of her plays some of which are work horses of American repertory theatre. It is dense theatre that unfolds slowly over three acts during a long evening. It is yet another work inspired by the tragic comedy paradigm of Anton Chekhov. It is interesting to note that Barrington Stage is currently presenting his Uncle Vanya while WTF is staging two works that reflect that tradition and influence, Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart and this Hellman piece. So, in these last days of summer, there is a Chekhovian chill in the air. Similarly, the last act of Vanya is also about packing off from a stay in the country by the Professor and his trophy wife Yelena.
The greatest benefit of a dense season of theatre is the opportunity to compare and contrast. To become embedded in theatre with a daunting array of productions to consider. When you experience a critical mass of performances such as those provided with weekly openings at WTF a transformation occurs. One gets to feel the flow of one orchestrated to elide into another creating a fluid artistic vision. So Reese perhaps deliberately kept this complex work and its challenges for last.
Given its Southern locale and mood there is a languid pace to this play which starts rather slowly. There are a lot of characters in this work and in the opening they seem sprawled out in the decaying glory of a crumbling former mansion. There is always a sense of decadence in art and literature with a Southern theme. At least in the arts the South never recovered from the Civil War and it is most common to reflect on past glory and tarnished valor. The characters convey fallen on their heels grace and manners. They are served by the inevitable black servant willing to step and fetch it as does Leon (Rama C. Marshall) in a finely drawn cameo.
Initially, it is unsettling to find a focus on characters which emerge as essential to the drama. In this case the answer is none and all. Hellman wove their stories together so intimately and with such attention to detail that all of the threads are composed into a tapestry that becomes ever more intricate as the evening progresses. If anyone runs away with this play, however, that would be the deliciously sharp and witty Mrs. Mary Ellis in a sensational performance by Elizabeth Franz. She is the matriarch of this play as the mother of the less compelling Carrie Ellis (Cynthia Mace) who is the mother of the effete young man Frederick (Eric Murdoch). He has been hastily engaged to the French born Sophie Tuckerman (Mamie Gummer) who has been rescued from war torn Europe by her aunt Constance Tuckerman (Allison Janney) the keeper of the guest house.
While Frederick is engaged to Sophie whom he "likes" he is passionate about a certain risqué gentleman. Mother and son are planning a six month long trip to Europe which Sophie consents to. At the last minute Frederick has purchased a ticket for his friend to accompany them. That is until the Matriarch cuts off his funds. When his mother protests and says that she will pay his expenses, the elder Mrs. Ellis threatens to disown her. As the strongest, sharpest and most clever character in the play she has the best lines and the greatest control over the lives and events of others. Some of her scenes just bring the house down.
The well known actress Allison Janney as Constance has a rather subdued role in this production. She is just trying to keep it all together earning a modest living by managing her property and providing a home to her niece who works as a maid. Constance is a spinster because she was jilted by a beau, the flamboyant drunk and failed artist, Nicholas Denery (John Benjamin Hickey) who is sweeping back into her life accompanied by a long suffering but glamorous and worldly wife Nina (Jessica Hecht). We learn that she controls the purse strings and despite his lapses and constant peccadilloes is always willing to take him back and pay off the latest mess. Which, in this case, proves to be a doozie.
Rounding out the mix of characters there is also the sub plot of the unhappy marriage between the rather silly and fatuous Rose Griggs (Maryann Plunkett) and the stoic husband who can't stand her, a gentleman of reserve and stature, General Benjamin Griggs (Brian Kerwin). She desperately wants to hold onto him while he is determined not to join her when their vacation soon ends. But there is a twist which will keep them together, at least for a time. The final character is Edward Crossman (Rufus Collins), a slowly crumbling drunk and friend/ lover of the aging Constance.
The flamboyant center and catalyst of the drama is the destructive and self absorbed artist Nicholas Denery. The widely traveled couple has returned to his roots out of a sense of his curiosity and nostalgia. Perhaps he has veered so far off course in a failed life and career that he might recover insight as to where it all fell apart. Nina is just tagging along as he teases and torments the vulnerable and sensitive Constance. He insists that the men drink with him. But he is an arrogant bore and they want none of his company. Instead, he turns what is left of his muddled charm on the women. He manipulates the vulnerable Mrs. Griggs into a commission to paint her homely niece. Meantime, he manages quality time with Constance by painting her portrait. She treasures a portrait he made of her as young woman.
Nicholas sloshes about the stage in one mishap after another fueled by copious amounts of champagne. His character has been compared to Hellman's real life companion the mystery writer Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) who had a considerable input on her work especially this play. All of the men drink too much which seems a reflection of her life experience. She also spent half the year in a New Orleans boarding house of an aunt as a child which provided a background for this play.
Because of an overflow of guests the every pliant and meek Sophie is sleeping on the couch. It is here that Nicholas in a sloppy, drunken stupor assaults her. She fought him off and nothing really happened but her honor is compromised when she is discovered by the elder Mrs. Ellis. In the most hilarious scene of the play she attempts to wake him up before being discovered. She desperately attempts to save the young woman engaged to her grandson. But such is not to be.
By the end of the evening while things have fallen apart Hellman found a skillful way to knit up the raveled sleeve of care. There is a measured resolution to the chaos that prevailed and the characters pick up the remnants of their lives. Just as was the case for Helmann herself, a radical leftist, who was denounced by HUAC, and black listed for many years from working in Hollywood. She was known for now untenable views as a Stalinist and for epic feuds, slanders and law suits with artist peers. Hellman and Dash lived a rough and abusive life for which they paid a human toll.
This is a production that inspires more respect than adulation. Everyone involved got the very most out of this work. There is nothing that could have been better. In particular we are grateful for the decision of the director David Jones not to slather on thick Southern accents, forced regional charm and mannerisms. He has avoided precisely the problem that sinks WTF's production of Crimes of the Heart. While we are spared the phony Southern schtick we are presented here with the French accent of Sophie, handled quite well by the talented and attractive Gummer in a nicely restrained and understated performance. And there was a bit of German in exchanges with the servant Hilda (Brooke Parks) who accompanies the wealthy Denerys. That character seemed particularly superfluous.
There was much to applaud and enjoy about this final WTF production. It a thoughtful and challenging end of the season. There was a subtle connection in casting Jessica Hecht as Nina. She had previously appeared this season in Blithe Spirit. It was interesting when actors returned in other productions and WTF represents a company and Festival in the best sense. With its ups and downs, twists and turns, we enjoyed a successful season. Now Autumn Garden. Exactly.