Plastic Theatre and Selective Realism of Tennessee Williams

Abstract

Tennessee Williams’s inclination towards experimentation became evident early on when he first introduced the concept of “plastic theater,” heavily reliant on expressionism and symbolism. As a part of understanding the origins of Williams’s (new) theatrical techniques, apart from presenting the idea of “plastic theatre” and selective realism, and the all-pervading lyricism, this paper provides a short overview of Russian Formalism and Brecht’s epic theatre, as well as points out the similarities and differences between the epic and the plastic. In addition, the paper demonstrates how the poetics of “plastic theatre” and its subtler version – selective realism – are actualized in the playwright’s work. The characteristics of selective realism as well as techniques and elements used to achieve its aims are presented systematically, including stage directions, the use of props, the “absent presence” (concerning the expressionistic quality determining the action), the language, the use of music and lighting, the use of narrator, and the screen device. The idea that these elements contribute to a better portrayal of certain thematic concerns is reviewed through the reading of Williams’s The Glass Menagerie (1944).