Five by Tenn

Lily (1935) is one of Williams’ earliest plays, written when he was only 23. His mother Edwina and sister Rose served as models for its portrait of a schizophrenic woman and her domineering mother. Thank You, Kind Spirit (1941) was intended to be part of an evening of one-acts, all set in New Orleans, which Williams wanted to call “Vieux Carre” — a title he later used for a full-length play. Another piece written for “Vieux Carre” was The Lady of Larkspur Lotion (1941). This play introduces a character that would later be developed into Blanche DuBois of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Although written during the Depression, these five plays, including Hello From Bertha (1939) and Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen (1945), remain remarkably contemporary, moving, and timely. But in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, they take on a special poignancy as they evoke a world that has forever been lost.