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The Various Texts of 's Plays Author(s): Drewey Wayne Gunn Source: Educational Theatre Journal, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Oct., 1978), pp. 368-375 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3206541 . Accessed: 15/12/2013 13:10

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This content downloaded from 137.140.1.131 on Sun, 15 Dec 2013 13:10:46 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions DREWEYWAYNE GUNN The VariousTexts of TennesseeWilliams's Plays

By now it should be no news that Tennessee Williams will present the textual editor of any definitive collection of his plays an enormous problem.' But after reading Tennessee Williams: A Tribute, a collection of essays by fifty-two critics edited by Jac Tharpe (,U.P. 1977), and other recent articles, I conclude that far too few readers and viewers realize how many versions of many of Williams's plays exist. Of the forty-two plays he has published since 1941, twenty have appeared in differing versions; only three of his seventeen full-length published plays have not been revised at some point in print. Yet no adequate bibliography has ever appeared, and critical attention to the subject-save for that directed to the almost notorious cases of Battle of Angels/ and the various third acts of -has been almost nil. Most commenta- tors have simply accepted the New Directions texts of these three titles as the definitive texts. But the revisions published by Dramatists Play Service are often superior, and sometimes an earlier text published in a magazine still holds great interest and is, in at least one case, the superior version. The following is a list of the various texts of Williams's plays which had been published by the end of 1977. I also list the titles of twelve plays which have been produced but not yet published and note the existence of unpublished versions of printed plays when such were used for a production. (Actually I am not sure that three plays of the 1930s were ever produced, but I have included them since Williams felt they were important to his development as a playwright.) Most of these unpublished manuscripts are among Williams's papers at the University of Texas Humanities Research Center, which also holds some seventy-six other unproduced and unpublished plays and fragments of plays. I have not listed Gavin Lambert's screenplay The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), based on Williams's novel, or 's television play "The Migrants" (1974), based on an idea by Williams; but I have noted seven screenplays, an opera, and a ballet which have been based on his plays. When a short story version by Williams preceded the play, it is also listed, as well as the eight screenplays (two of them published)

Drewey Wayne Gunn is Associate Professor of English at Texas A&I University.

1 I wish to thank Donna Vogt and Sharon Grosge for reading this bibliography and making valuable suggestions. 368

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which he has written. Maurice Yacowar, in Tennessee Williams and Film (Frederick Ungar, 1977), has compared all film versions with the original plays. In listing entries I have observed the following principles: I have ignored British editions, which in general follow the first New Directions texts. Collections preceded by "In" indicate a multi-author anthology; otherwise the collection includes Wil- liams's work only. I have omitted the place of publication to avoid the problem of whether to list a New Directions text as having been published in New York City or in Norfolk, Connecticut. Finally, I have abbreviated New Directions as "ND" and Dramatists Play Service as "DPS," and I have shortened the titles of four collections of his plays. In full they are: American Blues: Five Short Plays (DPS, 1948); Dragon Country: A Book of Plays (ND, 1969); The Theatre of Tennessee Williams, 5 vols. (ND, 1971-1976); and 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and Other One-Act Plays (ND, 1945; 2nd ed., 1953).

Williams's Plays and Screenplays,1935-1977 "AT LIBERTY" Another essay, "Reflections on a Revival of a Landscape with Figures: Two Mississippi Plays. Controversial Fantasy," New York Times, 15 May "At Liberty." In American Scenes. Ed. William 1960, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3, has never been reprinted. Kozlenko. John Day, 1941. Pp. 175-182. "CAIRO! SHANGHAI! BOMBAY!" (with Dorothy "AUTO-DA-FE" Shapiro) "Auto-Da-Fe':A Tragedy in One Act." 27 Wagons Unpublished comedy, 1935. Full of Cotton. ND, 1945. Pp. 105-120. CANDLES TO THE SUN : see "The Long Stay Cut Short" and Unpublished social action melodrama, 1936. "27 Wagons Full of Cotton." "THE CASE OF THE CRUSHED PETUNIAS" BATTLE OF ANGELS: see Orpheus Descending. "The Case of the Crushed Petunias: A Lyrical Fan- BOOM!: see The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here tasy." American Blues. DPS, 1948. Pp. 22-32. Anymore. CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF "Three Players of a Summer Game" (short story). "Ten Blocks on the Camino Real: A Fantasy." In New Yorker, 28 (1 November 1952), 27-36. American Blues. DPS, 1948. Pp. 43-77. Reprint: Hard Candy: A Book of Stories. ND, Unpublished full-length version, 1953. 1954. Pp. 9-44. Camino Real. ND, 1953. 161 pages. Unpublished dramatization of story, 1955. Reprints: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. ND, 1955. 197 pages. In Theatre Arts, 38 (August 1954), 35-65. Reprints: Three Plays. ND, 1964. Pp. 157-329. In Theatre Arts, 41 (June 1957), 33-71. Camino Real: A Play. DPS, 1965. 93 pages. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New American Library, Theatre, vol. 2. ND, 1971. Pp. 417-591. 1958. The shorter, DPS, version of the play was written Theatre, vol. 3, ND, 1971. Pp. 1-215. about 1945. urged Williams to expand Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: A Play in Three Acts. it for a Broadway production in 1953. This un- DPS, 1958. 81 pages. published version was a failure, and Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. ND, 1975. 173 pages. revised the play further before allowing ND to The short story offers interesting insight into the publish it. Though much of the DPS material re- way Williams develops characters and ideas, but mained intact, much was omitted. In the revision it only distantly foreshadows Cat. Two studies are Williams was tougher and more pessimistic; the Tom S. Reck's "The First Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," dance-like rhythms of the earlier version changed University Review, 34 (1968), 187-192, and into wild flight. Charles E. May's "BrickPollitt as Homo Ludens," The foreword to the ND text appeared original- in Tennessee Williams: A Tribute, ed. Jac Tharpe, ly in , 15 March 1953, sec. 2, op. cit., pp. 277-291. Williams's more direct pp. 1, 3; the afterword, for the first time in ND. dramatization of the story was produced in 1955.

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As Williams has explained, Elia Kazan disliked ing relationship with , a the original third act of Cat and at his urging the somewhat stronger tie with Eccentricities. It should playwright rewrote it. Williams, however, was encourage the reader, however, to see that Alma's unhappy with this second version and published choice at the end of both versions of the play is a both act versions in ND (but only the second in positive one, not tragic as many critics have DPS). All critics who have looked at the ND text asserted. Williams published an essay on this sub- have examined the differences to some degree. ject, "Questions without Answers," in the New York William Peterson in particular has written Times, 3 October 1948, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3. It has not "Williams, Kazan, and the Two Cats," New been reprinted. Theatre Magazine, 7, No. 3 (1967), 14-20. He revised the ND text of Summer and Smoke for Williams's 'ND preface, "Person-to-Person," DPS, omitting the prologue and the lines in Scene 1 first appeared in the New York Times, 20 March about the microscope, shifting some material from 1955, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3. He did not work on the film one scene to another, and adding an entirely new version; the screenplay was prepared by James scene with Alma and the older doctor between Poe and (1958). Scenes 1 and 2 (mentioning for the first time the aunt In 1975 Williams published a final version of the who figures so importantly in Eccentricities) and a third act, returning to the original structure but prayer at the beginning of Scene 8. Unfortunately maintaining the best moments from Kazan's ver- material in Scene 4 which he introduced into the new sion. He also made minor changes in the text of scene was not deleted from the later scene. the first two acts. This revision, an excellent one, The screenplay of Summer and Smoke was has thus far been sadly ignored. prepared by James Poe and Meade Roberts (1961). The libretto of the opera version was made by Lan- "CONFESSIONAL":see ford Wilson (1971); music was by Lee Hoiby. "THE DARK ROOM" Williams rewrote the play so completely about "The Dark Room." American Blues. DPS, 1948. 1951 that his choice of a new title is justified. Ec- Pp. 15-21. centricities is more tightly structured and is in a work, but it is a "THE DEMOLITION DOWNTOWN" many ways superior perhaps less charming one. The DPS text adds some dialogue "The Demolition Downtown: A One-Act Play." at the beginning of Act II, Scene 2; drops Act II, In Esquire, 75 (June 1971), 124-127, 152. Scene 4; and radically rewrites Act III, bringing in "DOS RANCHOS": see "The Purification" some of the material from the omitted scene and much new The is the THE ECCENTRICITIESOF A NIGHTINGALE / adding dialogue. Epilogue same in both. SUMMER AND SMOKE "The Yellow Bird" (short story). In Town and "THE ENEMY: TIME": see Country, 101 (June 1947), 40-41, 102-107. "THE FROSTED GLASS COFFIN" One Arm and Other Stories. ND, Reprint: "The Frosted Glass Coffin." Dragon Country. 1948. 199-210. Pp. ND, 1969. Pp. 197-214. "The Yellow Bird" (revised short story). One Arm and Other Stories. ND, 2nd ed., 1954. Pp. THE FUGITIVEKIND 199-211. Unpublished social action melodrama, 1936-1938. Summer and Smoke. ND, 1948. 130 pages. THE FUGITIVEKIND: see Orpheus Descending Reprints: GARDEN DISTRICT: see "Something Unspoken" Summer and Smoke. New American Library, and Last Summer 1961. Suddenly The Eccentricities of a Nightingale and Summer and Smoke: Two Plays. ND, 1964. Pp. "Portrait of a Girl in Glass" (short story). One 109-248. Arm and Other Stories. ND, 1948. Pp. 95-112. Theatre, vol. 2. ND, 1971. Pp. 113-256. The Glass Menagerie. Random House, 1945. 124 Four Plays. New American Library, 1976. pages. Summer and Smoke: Play in Two Parts. DPS, Reprints: 1950. 79 pages. The Glass Menagerie. ND, 1949. The Eccentricities of a Nightingale [. . .]. ND, Theatre, vol. 1. ND, 1971. Pp. 123-237. 1964. Pp. 1-107. The Glass Menagerie: Play in Two Acts. DPS, Reprint: Theatre, vol. 2. ND, 1971. Pp. 1-111. 1948. 68 pages. The Eccentricities of a Nightingale. DPS, 1977. 55 Unpublished screenplay (with Peter Berneis), pages. 1950. The short story "The Yellow Bird" has only a pass- Despite the dates the play probably developed out

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of the short story and was first called "The Williams inexplicably marred one of his finest Gentleman Caller." The Random House and ND plays by substituting a sentimental ending in the texts are identical except for the addition of a DPS version for the original realistic view of preface, which should more properly have in- human nature. He also translated the German troduced Streetcar (see below). In the DPS text scattered through Frieda's speeches. Williams omitted the screen added some device, IN THE BAR OF A TOKYO HOTEL dialogue, and somewhat changed the character of In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel. DPS, 1969. 45 pages. Jim. It is the better text. Reprint: Dragon Country. ND, 1969. Pp. 1-53. The different versions have been rather thoroughly examined. Lester A. Beaurline wrote KINGDOM OF EARTH "The Glass Menagerie: From Story to Play," "The Kingdom of Earth" (short story). Hard Can- Modern Drama, 7, No. 8 (1965), 142-149, and dy: A Book of Stories. ND, 1954. Charles S. Watson studied "The Revision of The Reprint: The Knightly Quest: A Novella and Glass Menagerie," Southern Literary Journal, 8, Short Stories. ND, 1966. Pp. 145-165. No. 2 (1976), 74-78. Brobury Pearce Ellis used "Kingdom of Earth: A One-Act Play." In Esquire, Glass as his example in discussing the problems a 67 (February 1967), 98-100, 132-134. textual editor faces: " The True Originall Kingdom of Earth (The Seven Descents of Copies,' " Tulane Drama Review, 5 (September Myrtle). ND, 1968. 111 pages. 1960), 113-116. Kingdom of Earth (The Seven Descents of Myrtle): A Play in Seven Scenes. DPS, 1969. 81 "THE GNADIGES FRAULEIN" pages. Slapstick Tragedy: Two Plays. "The Gnadiges Kingdom of Earth [. . .]. Theatre, vol. 5. ND, In Esquire, 64 (August 1965), 102, Friulein." 1976. Pp. 121-214. 130-134. The short story was originally published in a The Gnadiges Fraulein: A Play in One Act. DPS, special, very limited edition and was not reprinted 1967. 35 pages. until the American attitude toward freedom of Reprint: Dragon Country. ND, 1969. Pp. 215- speech and censorship had significantly changed. 262. Williams then published a one-act dramatization, The play was produced together with 'The which sketched in the entire plot of the full-length Mutilated" under the collective title Slapstick play. The ND and DPS texts are essentially the Tragedy, but it has thus been published, along same with a few speeches reworked or shuffled. with a preface, only in Esquire. Textual variants But in an attempt to get the play produced again are minor. after its New York failure (under the title, disliked "HEADLINES" by Williams, of The Seven Descents of Myrtle), he Unpublished pacifist sketch, 1936. drastically cut it. This version was included in the fifth volume of his collected but unfor- "HELLOFROM BERTHA" plays, tunately the editing has left some inconsistencies. "Hello from Bertha." 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. Gore Vidal prepared the screenplay (1970); the ND, 1945. Pp. 183-193. film was released under the title Last of the Mobile "I CANT IMAGINE TOMORROW" Hot-Shots. "I Can't Tomorrow: A in One Act." Imagine Play THE LADY OF LARKSPUR LOTION" In Esquire, 65 (March 1966), 76-79. '"TheLady of Larkspur Lotion." In The Best One- "I Can't Imagine Tomorrow." Country. Dragon Act Plays of 1941. Ed. Margaret Mayorga. Dodd, ND, 1969. Pp. 131-150. Mead, 1942. Pp. 121-132. Textual changes are minor, but several speeches Reprint: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. ND, 1945. have been cut in the ND version. Pp. 73-85. "I RISE IN FLAME, CRIED THE PHOENIX" "THE LAST OF MY SOLID GOLD WATCHES" I Rise in Flame, Cried the Phoenix: A Play about "The Last of My Solid Gold Watches." In The Best D. H. Lawrence. 1951. 42 ND, pages. One-Act Plays of 1942. Ed. Margaret Mayorga. Reprints: Dodd, Mead, 1943. Pp. 1-15. In New World New American Writing. Library, Reprint: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. ND, 1945. 1952. Pp. 46-67. Pp. 73-85. In Ramparts, 6 (January 1968), 14-19. '"THELONG GOODBYE" I Rise in Flame, Cried the Phoenix: A Play in One "The 27 Full Cotton. Act about D. H. Lawrence. DPS, n.d. 18 pages. Long Goodbye." Wagons of 1945. 159-179. Reprint: Dragon Country. ND, 1969. Pp. ND, Pp. 55-75. 'THE LONG STAY CUT SHORT, or THE

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UNSATISFACTORY SUPPER" very brief passage in Scene 5 of the British editions "The Unsatisfactory Supper." In The Best One- does not appear in the American texts. Williams Act Plays of 1945. Ed. Margaret Mayorga. Dodd, dropped the stagehands from the 1965 version Mead, 1945. Pp. 235-249. and, according to Howard Taubman (" 'Milk Reprints: Train' Revised Again," New York Times, 27 July American Blues (under new title). DPS, 1948. 1965, p. 25), created a more humane Mrs. Goforth Pp. 33-42. and a more mystical Chris Flanders. Apparently Baby Doll [.. .]. ND, 1956. Pp. 191-208. the screenplay was more interesting than the film, Baby Doll: The Script for the Film. ND, 1956. Pp. which was released under the title Boom! 7-140. "MOONY'S KID DON'T CRY" Reprint: The Script for the Film Baby Doll. "Moony'sKid Don't Cry." In The Best One-Act New American Library, 1956. Plays of 1940. Ed. Margaret Mayorga. Dodd, Unpublished filmscript, 1978. Mead, 1941. Pp. 29-44. The play was combined with "27 Wagons Full of Reprint: American Blues. DPS, 1948. Pp. Cotton" to create the basis for the screenplay 5-14. Baby Doll; the film in turn became a play, Tiger "THE MUTILATED" Tail. Slapstick Tragedy: Two Plays. "The Mutilated." "LORD BYRON'S LOVE LETTER" In Esquire, 64 (August 1965), 96-101. "Lord Byron's Love Letter." 27 Wagons Full of The Mutilated: A Play in One Act. DPS, 1967. Cotton. ND, 1945. Pp. 121-132. 46 pp. Lord Byron's Love Letter: Opera in One Act. "The Mutilated." Dragon Country. ND, 1969. Pp. Ricordi, 1955. (Music by Raffaello de Basfield.) 77-130. This play-become-libretto represents Williams's The play was produced together with "The only direct experiment with musical drama. Gnadiges FrAulein" under the collective title Slapstick Tragedy, but it was thus published, "THE MAGIC TOWER" along with a preface, only in Esquire. Since the romantic 1936. Unpublished drama, DPS text follows the Esquire text but includes the new materials which Williams would work into "ME, VASHYA!" Unpublished social action drama, 1936. the ND text, it is perhaps the most interesting. THE NIGHT THE THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE OF IGUANA "The of the ANYMORE / BOOM! Night Iguana" (short story). One Arm and Other Stories. ND, 1948. 167-196. "Man Bring This Up Road" (short story). In Pp. Unpublished one-act version, 1959. Mademoiselle, 49 (July 1959), 56-61, 102. Unpublished full-length version, 1960. Reprint: The Knightly Quest: A Novella and The the In 57 Four Short Stories. ND, 1966. Pp. Night of Iguana. Esquire, (February 115-130. 123-143. 1962), 47-62, . ND, 1962. 128 pp. Unpublished one-act version, 1962. Reprints: Excerpts of second (full-length) version in The The of the New American Best Plays of 1962-1963. Ed. Henry Hewes. Dodd, Night Iguana. Library, 1964. Mead, 1963. Pp. 151-169. Theatre, vol. 4. ND, 1972. Pp. 251-376. The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore. ND, Three by Tennessee. New American Library, 1964. 118 pages. 1976. Reprints: The of the DPS, 1963. The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore. Night Iguana. Only the title, the central symbol, a storm, and a DPS, 1964. 86 pages. different for Hannah come from Theatre, vol. 5. ND, 1976. Pp. 1-120. very prototype the short story. The Esquire and ND texts are Unpublished version, 1965. virtually identical. The DPS text is a severe cut- Unpublished screenplay, 1968. ting, of the third act, removing much of Williams has labored hard over this play, which especially the poetry and some purple prose. It is probably a has met repeated failure. The excerpts show better stage version, but for reading I still prefer enough to suggest it would be interesting to see all ND work the variant texts in full. In earlier versions Mrs. the text. The screenplay (1963) was the of Tony Veiller, though Williams worked a little Goforth accepts Chris Flanders; in the full pub- -very little-on it. lished version she dies. Williams brings "stage- hands" on for that version and, as he often does NOT ABOUT NIGHTINGALES when a play has been a failure, adds a prologue. A Unpublished social action melodrama, 1938.

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ORPHEUS DESCENDING / BATTLE OF ANGELS Reprints: / THE A Perfect Analysis Given by a Parrot: Comedy Unpublished play, 1940. in One Act. DPS, 1958. 16 pp. Battle of Angels. Pharos, nos. 1 & 2 (Spring 1945), Dragon Country. ND, 1969. Pp. 263-278. 5-109. In Esquire, 80 (October 1973), 288-290, Reprints: 486-488. Orpheus Descending, with Battle of Angels: The characters and much of their dialogue first ap- Two Plays. ND, 1958. Pp. 119-238. peared in , Act I, Scene 5. Theatre, vol.1. ND, 1971. 1-122. Pp. Unpublished play, 1955. Unpublished play, 1958. Orpheus Descending .]. ND, 1958. Pp. 1-118. [. Period of Adjustment (or High Point Is Built on a Reprints: Cavern: A Serious Comedy). In Esquire, 54 In Theatre Arts, 42 1958), 26-55. (September (December 1960), 210-276. (Original Play Title: Orpheus Period of Adjustment: High Point Over a Cavern: New American Library, 1960. Descending). A Serious Comedy. ND, 1960. 120 pp. Theatre, vol. 3. ND, 1971. Pp. 217-342. Reprints: Four Plays. New American Library, 1976. Period of Adjustment [. . .]. New American Orpheus A Play in Three Acts. DPS, Descending: Library, 1962. 1959. 78 pp. Theatre, vol.4. ND, 1972. Pp. 124-246. Unpublished screenplay (with Meade Roberts), Four Plays. New American Library, 1976. 1960. Period of Adjustment, or High Point Is Built on a Battle of DPS, 1975. 73 pp. Angels. Cavern: A Serious Comedy. DPS, 1961. 71 pp. After Battle's fiasco in Boston in 1940, Williams In each successive script the dialogue and action revised the script, adding a prologue and epilogue, have been tightened and the satire sharpened. and published it-together with an afterword, Consequently, the DPS script is the best in every "The History of a Play (with Parentheses)," which way. It also provides a more effective curtain for has never been reprinted. He continued brooding Act I. Isobel Lennart prepared the screenplay over the story, making changes in characteriza- (1962). Williams's essay, "Prelude to a Comedy," tion, development, and symbols, but following New York Times, 6 November 1960, sec. 2, pp. 1, the same basic plot always. In 1957 a new play, 3, has never been reprinted. under the new title, was produced; it too was a failure. (A revival in 1959 was more successful.) "PORTRAIT OF A MADONNA" Many critics have compared the two versions to "Portrait of a Madonna." 27 Wagons Full of Cot- some extent; one of the fullest comparisons is by ton. ND, 1945. Pp. 87-104. David C. C. Matthew, " 'Towards Bethlehem' " in "THE PURIFICATION" Tennessee Williams: A Tribute, ed. Jac Tharpe, "Dos Ranchos, or The Purification." New Direc- op. cit., pp. 172-191. The ND editions contain a tions 1944 (#8). ND, 1944. Pp. 230-256. "The the Present and the preface, Past, Perhaps," Reprint: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton (under short in the New originally published York Times, 17 title). ND, 1945. Pp. 29-62. March 1957, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3. THE RED DEVIL BATTERY SIGN When Williams prepared Orpheus for DPS, he drama, several reorganized some of the material and turned out a Unpublished political scripts, 1975-1976. text far superior to that published by ND, though perhaps marring the symbolism by omitting all THE ROSE TA TTOO references to the blowtorch in Act III. He also The Rose Tattoo. ND, 1951. 144 pp. prepared the screenplay; the film was called The Reprints: Fugitive Kind. Then, in 1975 he returned to Battle, In Theatre Arts, 39 (May 1955), 34-64. creating a script for DPS which retains the struc- The Rose Tattoo. New American Library, 1955. ture of the original (minus prologue and epilogue) Three Plays. ND, 1964. Pp. 1-156. but introduces some of the more telling scenes The Rose Tattoo: Play in Three Acts. DPS, from Orpheus. It is a much better play, though the 1965. 88 pp. script is blemished by careless editing. Theatre, vol. 2. ND, 1971. Pp. 257-415. Three by Tennessee. New American Library, : see The Two-Character Play 1976. "A PERFECTANALYSIS GIVEN BY A PARROT" Unpublished screenplay (adapted by Hal Kantor), "A Perfect Analysis Given by a Parrot: A Play in 1955. One Act." In Esquire, 50 (October 1958), 131-134. Williams made some changes in the play during its

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first production; see Brooks Atkinson, "Tattoo- Theatre, vol. 1. ND, 1971. Pp 239-419. ing," New York Times, 3 June 1951, sec. 2, p. 1. (screenplay adapted by Williams's preface, "The Timeless World of a Oscar Saul, 1950). In Film Scripts One. Ed. Play," first appeared in the New York Times, 14 George P. Garrett et al. Appleton-Century- January 1951, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3. Also see above, "A Crofts, 1971. Pp. 333-484. Perfect Analysis Given by a Parrot." A Streetcar Named Desire: Play in Three Acts. DPS, 1953. 103 SENSO (with Paul Bowles) pp. Vivienne Dickson has published a fascinating Unpublished dialogue for a film by Luchino "A Streetcar Named Desire: Its Develop- Visconti, 1953. study: ment through the Manuscripts," in Tennessee Wil- THE SEVEN DESCENTS OF MYRTLE: see liams: A Tribute, ed. Jac Tharpe, op. cit., pp. Kingdom of Earth 154-171. No one, the of SLAPSTICK TRAGEDY: see "The Gnidiges including Library Congress, seems to have noticed that ND has two Friulein" and "The Mutilated" published slightly different texts of the play. The revision SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS / "CONFESSIONAL" contains some rewriting of a few key speeches, but "Confessional." ND, 1969. Dragon Country. Pp. it is essentially a cutting of the original. The first 151-196. edition begins with dialogue between Eunice and Small 1972. 7-73. Craft Warnings. ND, Pp. the Negro woman; the second begins with vol. 5. ND, 1976. 221- Reprint: Theatre, Pp. dialogue between Stanley and Stella. The first ver- 287. sion is still the one available in Britain. The The is more an than a full-length play expansion speeches in DPS and ND 2nd edition are practical- rewrite of "Confessional," and the earlier version ly the same, but the stage directions are often dif- is the better. Small is probably Craft Warnings ferent. One must use both texts. The screenplay too and the is sentimental. The long, ending follows the play closely but omits mention of character of has been In "Confes- Bobby changed. Allan Grey's homosexuality and suggests that sional" he was more or innocent, ignorant, Stella will not return to Stanley. into In the revision he is ex- hardening knowledge. An essay by Williams, "On a Streetcar Named a bit more perienced and, though perhaps Success," appeared in the New York Times, 30 less Small believable, interesting. Craft Warnings November 1947, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3; it was reprinted includes two and "Notes essays, "Too Personal7" as 'The Catastrophe of Success"in the ND editions after the Second Invited Audience (and a Trou- of The Glass Menagerie and under the original ti- and a series of letters. bled Sleep)," tle in the NAL edition of Streetcar. Another essay, "SOMETHING UNSPOKEN" "Let Me Hang It All Out," New York Times, "Something Unspoken." 27 Wagons Full of Cot- 4 March 1973, sec. 2, pp. 1, 3, is also interesting. ton, 2nd ed. ND, 1953. Pp. 219-238. Valerie Bettis choreographed the ballet version (1952); music was by Alex North. Unpublished romantic drama, 1938. Last Summer. ND, 1958. 88 Suddenly pp. Reprints: Unpublished fantasy, 1942. (The subtitle to the Suddenly Last Summer. DPS, 1958. 44 pp. play is: "A Prayer for the Wild of Heart That Are Suddenly Last Summer. New American Kept in Cages.") Library, 1960. "THE STRANGEST KIND OF ROMANCE" Theatre, vol. 3. ND, 1971. Pp. 343-423. "The Malediction" (short story). In Town and Four Plays. New American Library, 1976. Country, 100 (June 1945), 66-67, 114-119. Unpublished screenplay (with Gore Vidal), 1959. Reprint: One Arm and Other Stories. ND, SMOKE: see The Eccentricities a 1948. Pp. 31-57. SUMMER AND of "The Strangest Kind of Romance: A Lyric Play in Nightingale 27 Full Four Scenes." Wagons of Cotton. ND, SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH 1945. Pp. 133-158. "The Enemy: Time: The One-Act Play Which A STREETCARNAMED DESIRE Became Sweet Bird of Youth." In Theatre A Streetcar Named Desire. ND, 1947. 171 pp. Magazine, 1 (March 1959), 14-17. A Streetcar Named Desire, 2nd ed. ND, before Unpublished full-length version, 1956. 1951. 166 pp. Sweet Bird of Youth. In Esquire, 51 (April 1959), Reprints: A Streetcar Named Desire. New 114-155. American Library, 1951. Sweet Bird of Youth. ND, 1959. 114 pp.

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Reprints: Wagons Full of Cotton" Sweet Bird Youth. New American of Library, "27 WAGONS FULLOF COTTON" 1962. "Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of Cotton" (short Three Plays. ND, 1964. Pp. 331-452. story). In Manuscript, 3 (August 1936), 25-28. Theatre, vol. 4. ND, 1972. Pp. 1-124. "27 Wagons Full of Cotton: A Three by Tennessee. New American Library, Comedy." In The Best One-Act Plays of 1944. Ed. 1976. Margaret Mayorga. Dodd, Mead, 1945. Pp. Sweet Bird Youth. of DPS, 1962. 61 pp. 155-183. The began with the sketch, written about play Reprints: 1952. In 1956 a full-length version was produced. 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. ND, 1945. Pp. 1-28. It caught the attention of Elia Kazan, who brought Baby Doll [. . .]. ND, 1956. Pp. 143-190. the play to New York in 1959 and who was Baby Doll: The Script for the Film. ND, 1956. Pp. for alterations of the probably responsible many 7-140. script. The version published in Esquire, par- Reprint: The Script for the Film Baby Doll. New ticularly Act III, had been far already changed American Library, 1956. from the 1956 version, but it was still fairly close Unpublished filmscript, 1978. to Williams's original conception. The ND and The short story was published under Williams's DPS texts are both versions. inadequate real name, Thomas Lanier Williams. The play, The ND text cuts one entire scene and parts of together with "The Long Stay Cut Short," became others from Act II and changes Act III still further. the basis for his screenplay Baby Doll, which in The DPS has been so cut (yet another scene being turn became the basis for a play, Tiger Tail. dropped from Act II, though an earlier scene has been reinstated) that one can scarcely even follow THE TWO-CHARACTER PLAY / OUT CRY the play. Act III has been rewritten for DPS, giv- The Two-Character Play. ND, 1969. 96 pp. version 1971. ing a more believable ending but one which Unpublished destroys the entire thrust of the drama to that Out Cry. ND, 1973. 86 pp. Another ed., 72 pp. The Two-Character point. The best version of the play then is Play. Theatre, vol.5. ND, probably the unpublished manuscript (1956). Of 1976. Pp. 301-370. the published versions, the Esquire text is the only The first version, produced in 1967, was pub- one worth considering. lished in a limited edition; it lacked much of the Williams's foreword to the ND text was later symbolism and was without an intermission. originally called "Williams' Well of Violence" and Its structure is more satisfactory, but its develop- appeared in the New York Times, 8 March 1959, ment is less interesting than that of later versions. sec. 2, pp. 1, 3. Richard Brooks prepared the The next, unpublished version was produced under screenplay (1962). the title Out Cry. The second, published ver- sion, produced in 1973, is perhaps the worst "TALK TO ME LIKE THE RAIN AND LET ME play Williams has ever written; the third, pro- LISTEN..." duced in 1975, is among his most interesting. 'Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen .." In both, the play within the play remains the 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, 2nd ed. ND, 1953. Pp. same; it is the characters and their response to 209-218. their fate which has changed so radically. THIS IS (AN ENTERTAINMENT) "THE UNSATISFACTORY SUPPER": see "The Unpublished 1976. comedy, Long Stay Cut Short" "THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED" VIEUX CARRE Landscape with Two Plays. Figures: Mississippi "The Angel in the Alcove" (short story source for "This Is Condemned." In American Property Act I). One Arm and Other Stories. ND, 1948. Scenes. Ed. William Kozlenko. John 1941. Day, Pp. 135-149. 183-193. Pp. "I Never Get Dressed Until After Dark on Sun- Reprint: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. ND, 1945. days." The source for Act II, unpublished to my Pp. 195-207. knowledge. Williams apparently worked to some extent on the Unpublished play, 1977 (promised by DPS for made Francis Ford Fred screenplay by Cappola, 1978). Coe, and Edith Sommer (1966) but demanded that his name be removed from the credits. YOU TOUCHED ME! (with Donald Windham) You Touched Me! A Romantic Comedy in Three 'THREE PLAYERS OF A SUMMER GAME": see Acts. Samuel French, 1947. 114 pp. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof The play is an adaptation of a short story by D. TIGER TAIL: see "The Long Stay Cut Short" or "27 H. Lawrence.

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