Period of Adjustment
Encyclopedia
Period of Adjustment is a 1960
play by Tennessee Williams
that was adapted for the screen in 1962
.
Both the stage and film versions are set on Christmas Eve
and tell the gentle, light-hearted story of two couples, one newlywed and the other married for five years, both experiencing pains and difficulties in their relationships. The two male characters are veterans of the Korean War
. The younger of the two experiences post traumatic stress (shellshock, battle fatigue, combat stress reaction
), while the older man suffers from feelings of inadequacy towards his wife, the daughter of his boss. However, the observance of each other’s troubles brings both couple to realize what they have and to reconcile their own relationships.
Williams wrote the first draft of the play in November 1958, "in a rush of activity partly induced by drugs." It was workshopped for a week in December 1958 and officially premiered at the Helen Hayes Theatre
on Broadway
on November 10, 1960. The play, which Williams subtitled "a serious comedy," was a departure from the playwright's usual dark dramas, and was written partly in response to a Hollywood columnist who had asked why his plays were always "plunging into the sewers." Williams responded to the criticism by writing Period of Adjustment and arguing, in a piece that ran in The New York Times
,
The play received average reviews and closed March 4, 1961 after 132 performances. In February 2006, the play was revived at the Almeida Theatre
.
1960 in literature
The year 1960 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*November 2 – Penguin Books is found not guilty of obscenity in the Lady Chatterley's Lover case in the United Kingdom....
play by Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
that was adapted for the screen in 1962
Period of Adjustment (film)
Period of Adjustment is a 1962 drama film directed by George Roy Hill. his first feature-length film, and based on the play of the same name by Tennessee Williams.-Plot summary:...
.
Both the stage and film versions are set on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and tell the gentle, light-hearted story of two couples, one newlywed and the other married for five years, both experiencing pains and difficulties in their relationships. The two male characters are veterans of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The younger of the two experiences post traumatic stress (shellshock, battle fatigue, combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction , in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from one's...
), while the older man suffers from feelings of inadequacy towards his wife, the daughter of his boss. However, the observance of each other’s troubles brings both couple to realize what they have and to reconcile their own relationships.
Williams wrote the first draft of the play in November 1958, "in a rush of activity partly induced by drugs." It was workshopped for a week in December 1958 and officially premiered at the Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre
Helen Hayes Theatre with 597 seats is the smallest Broadway theatre and is located at 240 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan....
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
on November 10, 1960. The play, which Williams subtitled "a serious comedy," was a departure from the playwright's usual dark dramas, and was written partly in response to a Hollywood columnist who had asked why his plays were always "plunging into the sewers." Williams responded to the criticism by writing Period of Adjustment and arguing, in a piece that ran in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
,
The play received average reviews and closed March 4, 1961 after 132 performances. In February 2006, the play was revived at the Almeida Theatre
Almeida Theatre
The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
.