For any fan of noted writer Tennessee Williams, En Avant! An Evening with Tennessee Williams is 70 minutes well spent. The one man show, which was the winner of the 2013 NYC International Fringe Festival Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance, is drawn from actual journals, letter and several other writings both comprised by and about Mr. Williams. Actor and playwright William Shuman portrays the man behind some of the most important works of his time, including The Glass Menagerie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire and many more.
The show, which reads as a recounting of both good and bad times from his life, covers everything from his many failures and struggles as a playwright, as well as his successes. In the show, Williams also covers in depth his love life, his family, and his thoughts and feelings about it all. It can be hard to capture and engage an audience’s attention, especially with only one man on stage for the entirety of the show, however, Shuman manages to channel Williams’ spirit — both his brilliance and his demons — and give us an intriguing and inspiring performance.
In a time when originality is dwindling and writing is slowly becoming a lost art, this celebration of a true original, artistic writer is a welcome addition to New York City’s theater. Catch the final performance of the show on March 24th at 7pm at Stage 72.
Twisted Talk: What’s your favorite work by Tennessee Williams? Do you know much about his life? Discuss below!
