Cats are thought to possess many famous qualities, such as always landing on their feet and being sneaky and curious. From the word "cat" we get colloquialisms like "catty" for gossipy or "catlike" for nimble. Tennessee Williams' classic American play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," uses the qualities we associate with cats to give more depth to the characters in this Southern familial drama. The show is presented in all of its feline grace and subtlety by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston.
The story is simple and gripping. A wealthy Southern family that outwardly seems to embrace openness and honesty clearly struggles under the weight of secrets and truths that they never confront.
The play takes place over the course of one day: the birthday of patriarchal planter Big Daddy (played by Spiro Veloudos). After hospital workers lie to him about his health, Big Daddy and his wife believe he is not dying of cancer, while his two sons and their wives know the truth. This is one of the many stories illuminated over the course of the play's three acts, all rife with familial secrecy.
The cast is small and works together brilliantly. Williams' language is difficult to recite. He frequently leaves his characters with long monologues which, while beautifully written, can prove challenging to deliver. Each cast member, however, accepts his character and the characters around him unquestioningly, lending honesty and freshness to the writing. Instead of feeling bogged down by dense language, the audience feels invigorated, and the play's dialogue creates a pleasurable experience.
Some of the most pivotal scenes in the play are intimate exchanges between two characters, Brick (Kelby Akin) and his wife, Margaret (Georgia Lyman). Brick is the younger son of Big Daddy and struggles with alcoholism, homosexuality and a wife who is too smart to be happy but too in love with him to leave. Almost the entire first act consists of conversations between Brick and Margaret. Through their conversations the audience learns not only about their relationship, but about the interactions of the entire family. The audience learns some of this through Margaret's catty gossip, in which Brick has no interest, but learns more through the couple's behavior. For instance, the audience understands that Big Daddy is a formidable presence through Margaret and Brick's unquestioning deference to his opinions and body language when discussing him. These subtle details are performed masterfully on the Lyric stage.
Veloudos is also the Producing Artistic Director of the Lyric Stage Company. As Big Daddy, he ably conveys the once self-assured patriarch unseated by worries of mortality. Part of his success can surely be attributed to his familiarity with the theater. The role of Big Daddy serves in many ways as the centerpiece of the play. He arrives during the second act, the middle of the play and establishes himself as the being around whom everyone else is supposed to orbit. Veloudos executes this role with skill, comfortable in playing this powerful father figure.
The ease with which the cast works together is aided by the production's beautiful lighting and set design. The entire show takes place in Brick and Margaret's bedroom and, through skillful lighting and colors, an affluent yet stifling environment is very effectively created. Drama is added through the use of shadows and warm colors.
Lyric's production of this iconic American play is a delight to watch. The cast is stunning, and the story is timeless. The only setbacks are minor, and they should be no deterrent to potential audience members. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but theater never did.
