Summer and Smoke

About

Rebecca Frecknall directed Tennessee Williams’ classic play Summer and Smoke at the Almeida Theatre in early 2018. The production adopted an expressionist approach on a bare wooden stage encircled by nine upright pianos, which infused Angus MacRae’s minimal, pulsating score throughout. Lee Curran’s lighting bathed the action in smoky orange tones and supported fluid transitions where scenes bled into one another without traditional blackouts. Eschewing strict realism, the staging focused on the play’s emotional landscape—love, loneliness, repression, and self-destruction. The ensemble doubled in roles, enhancing the continuous, dreamlike flow of the piece. Patsy Ferran’s performance was widely acclaimed as the production’s emotional anchor. The Almeida staging became a critical success and subsequently transferred to the West End. The run at the Almeida took place from 24 February to 7 April 2018.