Sweet Bird of Youth

“Relentless caper for all those who step / The legend of their youth into the noon.” With this quote from his spiritual and literary mentor, Hart Crane, Tennessee Williams began his last great lyric play. A movie star who’s seen better days, Alexandra Del Lago (travelling incognito as “Princess”) occupies a hotel room with a young man, Chance Wayne. Chance hit Hollywood with big dreams. Now he’s returned to his hometown with nothing to show for himself but a faded movie queen’s desperate attentions. Does he really believe Princess still has the clout to secure him that screen test, or has Chance really come home to start up with the girl he ruined years before? The sweet bird of youth, Williams tells us, perches nearby for such a very short time. Nothing to be done, except make the most of that bird before it flies, flies away. David Jones directs.