I was captivated by the characters in The Glass Menagerie when I first read the script as a teenager. Laura’s painful shyness, Tom’s longing for adventure, Amanda’s melodramatic southern charm. A family wrapped in yearning, hope and desperation during The Great Depression.Since then, I’ve seen the play performed numerous times, from regional theatre to a tiny Idaho community stage. Every viewing of this beloved play filled my heart with theatrical wonder. Melbourne Theatre Company’s production is no different. The opening night crowd was abuzz with preshow excitement and energy. But a collective hush fell over the auditorium when the lights went down and Tim Draxl strode on stage.

Playing Tom Wingfield, Draxl informed the audience this was a memory play. It’s not realistic. That opening monologue set the scene for director Mark Wilson’s vision. MTC’s 2026 production delivers a contemporary take on The Glass Menagerie, a play first produced in 1944.Often played as a tragedy (it’s a family on the edge during the Great Depression), this cast found humour in their characters’ antics. They played many moments in the show with heightened theatricality, rather than as a realistic drama.

Playwright Tennessee Williams was a gay man at a time when homosexuality was illegal in the United States, and Tom Wingfield is considered a semi-autobiographical character. Frequently, Tom’s sexual proclivities are played as subtle innuendo. However, MTC puts themes of queerness front and centre. Costume designer Matilda Woodroofe drew inspiration from Tom of Finland (an artist famous for his pornographic, hyper sexualised images of gay men).In the second act, Woodroofe leaned into physical comedy, costuming Alison Whyte (as Amanda Wingfield) in a truly ridiculous dress. Whyte clearly had a ball greeting Harry McGee (the gentleman caller) in her frock. Set designer Kat Chan also veered away from a realistic portrayal of the Wingfield’s apartment and created a space that is simultaneously cramped and devoid of walls. (No mean feat, on the Sumner theatre’s sprawling stage.) Time and place inform this retelling of The Glass Menagerie. It’s a classic American play set in the late 1930s, viewed from a 2020s Australian perspective. It’s easier to laugh at Amanda Wingfield’s histrionics as an Australian audience living in a country providing medical care, centerlink, and disability support payments to its citizens. Whilst it was interesting to see a more humorous interpretation of these familiar characters, I did find myself less invested in their plight. But given how dark the world feels in 2026, perhaps a little levity at the theatre is what we all need.

It’s been twenty years since MTC staged this beloved classic. Don’t risk waiting another two decades to see a professional production of The Glass Menagerie.

Jenny
Jenny Schmidt is an event aficionado. When she’s not attending live shows, you can find her sampling the latest craft beer or sipping a creative cocktail.
The Glass Menagerie runs 27 April – 5 June 2026 at the Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. 140 Southbank Blvd Southbank 3006 and 11 June – 13 June 2026 at The Play House, Geelong Arts Centre. Run time approx. 2 hours and 20 minutes, including an interval. Book tickets now.

Photos: Pia Johnson
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were invited guests of MTC