Photo by Earl Perry
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“Tom loved Rose, adored Rose, cherished Rose — but ultimately could not protect Rose. That failure, and the accompanying pangs of guilt and regret, tugged at him throughout his life. It's these sensations, these churning interior emotions, that Lawrence shapes into FORMIDABLE PORTRAIT. Taking us through the odd contradictions that defined his relationship with Williams' mother and sister, Lawrence gives us a Tennessee who was sometimes a protagonist, sometimes an antagonist. Whatever his context, however, Lawrence convinces us that ATTENTION CAN AND MUST BE PAID.” — Andrew Adler, New Orleans Times-Picayune Tom and Rose: My Sister was Quicker at Everything than I “My sister was a much more vital person than Laura. Terribly vital.” Tennessee once wrote. In this new one-man piece by Jeremy Lawrence based on Williams’ works and words, Rose emerges not as the victim but as the life force who was at the very center of so much of Tennessee’s work as Tennessee follows his thoughts into the various incarnations of the great love of his life whose candle would never blow out. The show had its premiere at the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival 2011. It was subsequently performed at: Washington State University, St. Louis Delta Tennessee Williams Festival, Clarksdale, MS |