The Parade

The Parade is an odd little one-act. Written when Tennessee Williams was 29, the play was revised later in his life but wasn't produced until 2006, 23 years after his death. It receives its European premiere at the Citizens for this year's Glasgay! festival.

The play itself is a simple three-hander. Ageing actor Don is infatuated with young stud Rich, who in turn is pining for the never-seen Wanda. The majority of the play focuses on a conversation between Don and Miriam, an upper-class young woman who may or may not fancy Don.

The funny thing about the play itself is that its strength is also its weakness, for the piece contains echoes of characters and themes that Williams would later use, and master, in his classic work.

It's interesting seeing the origins of such characters as Blanche DuBois, Tom Wingfield and Brick and Maggie Pollitt, and Williams uses concepts such as sexual longing and desire, which would enrich his later work.

However, audiences not overly familiar with William's canon may find the play stale, for when it was written he wasn't quite the master of plot, character, mood and pacing that he would soon become. The result is a play that shows the writer's great potential without yet fully encompassing it.

As Rich, Alex Harries has little to do other than be Don's object of desire, and he does so well. It's easy to see why anyone, male or female, would lust after him. Adrienne Zitt's performance as Miriam is also very solid. She's able to embody a character that is both vulnerable and strong, often within the same moment.

But make no mistake: this production is all about Laurance Rudic. As both the key character and the director, the piece completely lies with Rudic's artistic work, and he does a very good job on both counts. His direction is solid: it's well staged and paced; his performance is focused and multi-layered.

For academics and fans of Tennessee Williams, The Parade is an interesting piece, especially as it shows one of the 20th century's masters at the cusp of greatness. However, those not in the know of Williams' work may find it to be nothing more than a slight trifle.