History Theatre / TheGlassMenagerie

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Creator/JaneWyman and a young Creator/KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by Creator/PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and Creator/JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring Creator/KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Jane Wyman and a young Creator/KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by Creator/PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and Creator/JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring Creator/KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

Tennessee Williams based the play on his own family; he himself is the basis for the character of Tom, his mother for Amanda, and his sister (who in real life suffered from Schizophrenia) for the character of Laura.

''The Glass Menagerie'' is a play by Creator/TennesseeWilliams set in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1930's. The play is an important part of the American theatrical repertoire and continues to be performed successfully by both professional and amateur theatres.

The play centers around the Wingfields: [[MyBelovedSmother Amanda]], [[AloofBigBrother Tom]], and [[ShrinkingViolet Laura]]. Their relationship has become strained since [[DisappearedDad Mr. Wingfield]] left them. While Tom works in a warehouse to support the family, he dreams of leaving home and frequently watches movies in cheap theaters. Amanda obsesses over finding a suitor for Laura, while Laura herself is so shy that she locks herself up and admires the (titular) collection of glass animal figurines she keeps.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: The play opens with Tom explaining to the audience that the play is based on his memories.

* WholeEpisodeFlashback: Most of the play is a flashback.

* TitleDrop

* BrokenAngel

''The Glass Menagerie'' is a play by TennesseeWilliams set in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1930's. The play is an important part of the American theatrical repertoire and continues to be performed successfully by both professional and amateur theatres.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Laura's disorder is never named, but she may be suffering from anxiety disorder or mild schizophrenia. Her poor social skills and fixation on glass figurines could indicate Asperger's Syndrome.

* AuthorAvatar: The play is semi-autobiographical: Tom is Tennessee Williams himself, Laura is his mentally disabled sister Rose and Amanda is his mother.
* BeautifulAllAlong: Laura. Cruelly subverted that [[spoiler: just after she made an indication that she could do so, the crushing blow of TheReveal was too much that she went back to Shrinking Violet territory]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Not only Jim is already engaged, Tom finally decides he has had it and abandons his family.]]

* TheLastStraw: Amanda yelling at Tom for [[spoiler:inviting a man who's already engaged, which causes Tom to leave.]]

* MakeAWish: Played with. Tom assumed Amanda's wish on the moon would be a gentleman caller for Laura, but was actually the best for her children. Both wishes are subverted when [[spoiler: the potential suitor Tom finds turns out to be taken and neither Tom nor Laura are happy in the end.]]

* OldMaid: The implication is that if Jim doesn't marry Laura, she's doomed to a life of spinsterhood. [[spoiler: He doesn't.]]

* PoorCommunicationKills: Tom doesn't tell Jim that the dinner is supposed to introduce Jim as a suitor to Laura. [[spoiler: Jim is already engaged.]]
* PricelessMingVase: The glass menagerie itself, especially [[spoiler: the little unicorn.]] Not PlayedForLaughs.

* ShaggyDogStory: The entire plan to bring Jim to a "casual dinner" [[spoiler: is ruined, and their sacrifices are made in complete vain.]]

* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: Tom and Amanda's arguments get increasingly bitter, a significant escalation is when Tom accidentally breaks one of Laura's figurines. He's sorry for it at once.
* UnreliableNarrator: Tom admits the most realistic character is Jim
* YankTheDogsChain: Just when you think [[spoiler: Laura will "win" Jim due to their little dance and kiss, TheReveal hits.]]

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Jane Wyman and a young Creator/KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and Creator/JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring Creator/KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Jane Wyman and a young Creator/KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and Creator/JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

The Glass Menagerie is a play by TennesseeWilliams set in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1930's. The play is an important part of the American theatrical repertoire and continues to be performed successfully by both professional and amateur theatres.

* FilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Jane Wyman and a young KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and Creator/JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

* NiceGuy: Jim. In fact, that's pretty much Tennessee William's whole character description of Jim.

* ChristmasCake: The implication is that if Jim doesn't marry Laura, she's doomed to a life of spinsterhood. [[spoiler: He doesn't.]]

* FilmOfTheBook: Several adaptations of varying quality. The two theatrical versions, Irving Rapper's 1950 film with Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy, Jane Wyman and a young KirkDouglas, and a 1987 adaptation, directed by PaulNewman and starring Joanne Woodward and JohnMalkovich, have mixed critical reputations. A 1973 TV version starring KatharineHepburn and Sam Waterston is much better-regarded.

* WaferThinMint: Amanda yelling at Tom for [[spoiler:inviting a man who's already engaged, which causes Tom to leave.]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Not only Jim is already engaged, Tom finally decides he has had it and leaves the family.]]

* GenerationXerox: [[spoiler:Tom abandones his mother and sister, just like his father.]]

* PoorCommunicationKills: Tom doesn't tell Jim that the dinner is supposed to introduce Jim as a suitor to Laura. [[spoiler: Jim is taken.]]

* UnreliableNarrator:

The Glass Menagerie is a play by Tennessee Williams set in St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1930's. The play is an important part of the American theatrical repertoire and continues to be performed successfully by both professional and amateur theatres.

* ChristmasCake: The implication is that if Jim doesn't get together with Laura, [[spoiler: and he doesn't,]] she will become this.

* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Tom[[spoiler:, in his monologue in the end]].

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Not only Jim is already betrothed, Tom finally decides he has had it and leaves the family.]]

* GenerationXerox: [[spoiler:Tom and his father abandoning Amanda and Laura.]]

* InformedFlaw: Laura being crippled. It doesn't show in the present, though she's been embarrassed having a brace in high school.
* IWasQuiteALooker: Amanda, she boasts on and on about the [[strike:gentleman caller]] ''seventeen gentlemen callers'' she had back in her youth. The fact that now she settles with two children on a dingy apartment in a big city with her husband somewhere in TheDeepSouth is an indication of ''something's amiss''.
* {{Jerkass}}: Tom, but for good reason. Amanda could be more of a Jerkass than Tom, however.

* LonelyDollGirl: Laura, with her collection of glass figurines.
* MakeAWish: Played with. Tom assumed Amanda's wish on the moon would be a gentleman caller for Laura and informs her he found one for her, while Amanda wished the best for her children. Finding a gentleman caller has been Amanda's wish for a long time, [[spoiler:but both wishes are subverted when the gentleman in question is taken and none of the characters save Jim are happy in the end.]]

* ParentalAbandonment: Mr. Wingfield

* PricelessMingVase: The glass menagerie itself, and especially [[spoiler: the little unicorn]]. Not PlayedForLaughs.
* PrinceCharming: Subverted slightly, but cruelly; [[spoiler: the Prince is taken]].
* TheReveal: [[spoiler: Jim is getting married.]]

* ShrinkingViolet: Laura, and how! Laura is so shy she locks herself up at home. The only attempt she had in typing class ended in failure when she threw up due to shyness. To top it off, she skipped classes every day and visited zoos instead.

* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: Tom and Amanda's arguments get increasingly bitter: a significant escalation is when Tom accidentally breaks one of Laura's figurines. He's sorry for it at once.
* TrivialTitle: Named after a collection of glass animals owned by one of the characters. It should be specified, though, that the incidental element has symbolic meaning: The glass animals represent the fragility of the characters' relationship with each other.
* UnreliableNarrator
* WaferThinMint: Amanda yelling at Tom for [[spoiler:inviting a man who's already engaged, which causes Tom to leave]].
* YankTheDogsChain: Just when you think [[spoiler: Laura will "win" Jim due to their little dance and kiss, TheReveal hits]].
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic: [[spoiler: When Laura's favorite glass piece - a unicorn - that she showed to Jim breaks. Even more so because it breaks off its horn: "Now it's just like all the other horses".]]
* WholeEpisodeFlashback: The play is a flashback.

The play centers around the Wingfields: [[MyBelovedSmother Amanda]], [[AloofBigBrother Tom]], and [[ShrinkingViolet Laura]]. Their relationship has become strained since [[DisappearedDad Mr. Wingfield]] left them. While Tom works in a warehouse to support the family, he dreams of leaving home and frequently watches movies in cheap theaters. Amanda obsesses over finding a suitor for Laura, while Laura herself is so shy that she locks herself up and only admires the glass figurine collection (menagerie) she has.

When Amanda learns of Tom's workmate Jim, she plans to bring him home to meet Laura as her potential suitor. However, despite initial success, everything, quite simply, goes wrong. The play then ends with a DownerEnding.

* IWasQuiteALooker: Amanda, she boasts on and on about the [[strike:gentleman caller]] ''seventeen gentlemen callers'' she had back in her youth. The fact that now she settles with two children on a dingy apartment in a big city with her husband somewhere in South America is an indication of ''something's amiss''.

* OmegaCast: The play only features four characters.

'''note: WikiMagic badly needed here.'''