Williams' poetry makes 'Candles' blaze
Imagine your luck if you "discovered" a lost Shakespeare play or found an ignored early novel by J.K. Rowling.
Eclipse Theatre Co. has done something nearly as remarkable. They've found an early, little-known work by Tennessee Williams and mounted it, for only the second time since its original 1937 stage run. The power of the work, combined with Eclipse's strong acting and top-notch production, make this an extremely rewarding evening of theater.
"Candles to the Sun" explores the complex interactions of an extended family, much like Williams' later "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
More Coverage Video 'Candles to the Sun'
But unlike those later works, which pit family members against each other, "Candles'" characters mostly struggle against the injustice they face trying to eke out a living as coal miners in Alabama.
"Candles" is almost operatic in the scope of its emotions. If it were an opera, it would start with the theme of family matriarch Hester, and later her daughter-in-law Fern, wanting a better life for their sons than the danger of the coal mines.
Then family patriarch Bram, echoed by his son and grandson, would insist he must put bread on the table by slaving in the mines.
The drums of the mine owners would rumble, threatening loss of work, loss of life and starvation.
Bram and Hester's wayward daughter Star would be the soprano, wanting to settle down with Birmingham Red, the fiery tenor. He, alas, puts her off for a nobler cause. He's organizing a strike to improve the coal miners' lot.
Director Steven Fedoruk lets Williams' drama unfold with perfect pacing and allows the poetry of Williams' language to come out. He also infuses the play with folk music, including fiddle playing, that recreates the sound of Alabama's Red Hills country.
The cast delivers uniformly strong performances. In the buildup to the dramatic apex, the stage crackles with excitement as Rebecca Prescott, as Star, and Sorin Brouwers, as Birmingham Red, argue love and politics.
Many touches indicate the company thought through the details. For example, I immediately noticed the striking wooden set, a portrayal of Bram and Hester's cabin. It wasn't until the play's end I noticed it was built to also look like a coal mine shaft, enveloping all the family's interactions in the industry that shaped its destiny.
"Candles to the Sun"
3#189; stars
Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays
Tickets: $25 adults, $20 students and seniors with ID; (773) 871-3000
Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Parking: $6 with validation at Children's Memorial lot, one block north
Rated: Some adult themes; suitable for younger teens