Jenny Block was among the first to see the Dallas Theater Center’s version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The verdict? Worth the price of admission. Read on.
Richard Hamburger has obviously decided to go out on a high note. The set is a gorgeous interior, with a remarkable sense of the world that extends beyond that room. It opens to a porch, veranda, and the rest of the mansion, of which the audience only catches glimpses. Viewers feel as trapped and torn as the characters within that room. Despite the ice-cold temperature of the theater, the imposing heat of the setting was palpable.
The actors are marvelous. The first act is basically a monologue for Margaret, played by Lorca Simons. Although once in a while her sexy prancing comes off as, well, staged, she is engrossing as the pitiable character. The true show stopper is Dakin Matthews as Big Daddy. He is fantastic. I had to keep reminding myself he was acting. This classic Williams piece is not an easy one to tackle and, done poorly, it can be downright painful. But this production—from the blocking that kept the actors moving across the stage to the lighting design, which turned one room into a thousand moods—was dead on. Catch it through November 5.