The Glass Menagerie, Salisbury Playhouse (From Daily Echo)

The Glass Menagerie, Salisbury Playhouse

1:03pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

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WHEN Imogen Stubbs is starring in a play you know you’re going to be in for a treat.

The stellar actress – who has starred in numerous plays, television shows and films such as Sense and Sensibility and Twelfth Night – didn’t disappoint.

She was completely believable as Amanda, the neurotic mother who spends her time reliving her glory days in the Deep South and trying to push her nervous daughter Laura into getting a career or, failing that, a husband.

And the rest of the small cast put in equally strong performances, bringing to life Tennessee Williams’ moving semi-autobiographical story about his dysfunctional family as it falls apart.

Poor Laura – played wonderfully by Emma Lowndes – is painfully shy and passes her time playing with her collection of glass animals.

Her mother tries to coerce her into doing something with her life but it becomes apparent that trying to help Laura is part of the problem.

Set in a run down apartment in ’30s America the atmosphere of the time is expertly captured. As always at Salisbury Playhouse, the brilliant set helps the story, as does the use of film reel, illustrating the thoughts of the characters.

An engaging and moving experience, The Glass Menagerie runs until March 20.

Sally Churchward