Sweet Bird of Youth 

****

Chichester Festival Theatre, June 9

TENNESSEE Williams’ work often utilised personal aspects of his life. 

Sweet Bird reflects the conflict between his artistic urge and his perceived waning creative drive. 

Loss of youthfulness runs throughout the play along with the word ‘monster’. 

In this powerful play, that has the inevitability of a Greek tragedy, Williams has created three monsters. 

Alexandra Del Lago, a fading alcoholic actress running away from her comeback film, believing it to be a failure; Chance Wayne, a wannabe actor turned gigolo who brings Del Lago back to his home town; Boss Finley, hypercritical politician and father of the girl whose life has been wrecked by Wayne.

The opening two scenes provide superb vocal battles between the actress and the gigolo. 

Marcia Gay Harden’s masterful portrayal of Alexandra delivers every nuance of the character’s complex personality along with well timed wit punctuated with a dirty laugh.

Wayne, in the hands of Brian J Smith,  is an immature dreamer, self centered and hyperactive, fuelled by booze and pills. 

An un-loveable character in whom Smith successfully blends naivety with bombast.

Williams creates great patriarchs and Boss Finley is another Big Daddy.

Richard Cordery gives a barnstorming performance as this ranting evangelical politician and hypocrite. 

Barrie Jerram