The Seven Descents of Myrtle
Encyclopedia
The Seven Descents of Myrtle is a play by Tennessee Williams
. Its title character is reminiscent of another Williams' heroine, Blanche Dubois
in A Streetcar Named Desire
.
Originally titled Kingdom of Earth, the serio-comic play focuses on Lot, a tubercular
neurotic
youth who is an impotent transvestite overly attached to the memory of his late mother. He has returned to his ancestral home, a decaying house on the edge of a river on the verge of overflowing, with his new bride Myrtle, a sometime prostitute and former showgirl, the sole survivor of the Five Memphis Hot Shots. She dwells in a fantasy world of romantic illusions, one of which is to nurse Lot back to health so they can consummate their marriage, but soon discovers Lot only wants to use her to steal the deed to the property from his multiracial
half-brother Chicken, who has lived on and farmed the property for years. Once he meets Myrtle, he gets some romantic designs of his own.
The Broadway
production was produced by David Merrick
and directed by José Quintero
. After two previews, it opened on March 27, 1968 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
and closed after 29 performances. It starred Brian Bedford
as Lot, Harry Guardino
as Chicken, and Estelle Parsons
as Myrtle. She was nominated for the Tony Award
for Best Actress in a Play.
In 1970, the play was adapted for a feature film
under the title Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
.
A 1975 production in London, at the Greenwood Theatre, starring Marianne Faithfull
as Myrtle, was cancelled after just three performances when Ms Faithfull fell ill with peritonitis.
In 1976, the play had its West Coast premiere at The Pasadena Repertory Theatre located in The Hotel Carver
in Pasadena, California. It starred Marie Peckinpah as Myrtle, Duane Waddell as Chicken, and Ed Harris
as Lot. It featured a remarkable three story, rain-drenched set by Howard Whalen. The play was presented under Williams' original title "Kingdom of Earth" and ran for approximately 24 weekend performances over three months. It was directed by Gill Dennis, with executive producer Duane Waddell, and produced by Kevin Cloud Brechner.
In 1991, the play was produced in the UK at the Redgrave Theatre, Farnham
starring Kit Hollerbach as Myrtle, Stephen Hattersley as Chicken and Marc Warren
as Lot in a production directed by Bill Bankes-Jones. Stephen Hattersley won Best Actor 1991 in the TMA Awards
for his performance in this production.
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...
. Its title character is reminiscent of another Williams' heroine, Blanche Dubois
Blanche DuBois
Blanche DuBois is a fictional character in Tennessee Williams' 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Streetcar Named Desire...
in A Streetcar Named Desire
A Streetcar Named Desire (play)
A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
.
Originally titled Kingdom of Earth, the serio-comic play focuses on Lot, a tubercular
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
neurotic
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
youth who is an impotent transvestite overly attached to the memory of his late mother. He has returned to his ancestral home, a decaying house on the edge of a river on the verge of overflowing, with his new bride Myrtle, a sometime prostitute and former showgirl, the sole survivor of the Five Memphis Hot Shots. She dwells in a fantasy world of romantic illusions, one of which is to nurse Lot back to health so they can consummate their marriage, but soon discovers Lot only wants to use her to steal the deed to the property from his multiracial
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
half-brother Chicken, who has lived on and farmed the property for years. Once he meets Myrtle, he gets some romantic designs of his own.
The 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...
production was produced by David Merrick
David Merrick
David Merrick was a prolific Tony Award-winning American theatrical producer.-Life and career:Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick graduated from Washington University, then studied law at the Jesuit-run Saint Louis University School of Law...
and directed by José Quintero
José Quintero
José Benjamin Quintero was a Panamanian theatre director, producer and pedagogue best known for his interpretations of the works of Eugene O'Neill.-Early years:...
. After two previews, it opened on March 27, 1968 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 243 West 47th Street in midtown-Manhattan, named for actress Ethel Barrymore....
and closed after 29 performances. It starred Brian Bedford
Brian Bedford
Brian Bedford is an English actor. He has appeared on the stage and in film, and is known for both acting in and directing Shakespeare.-Life and career:...
as Lot, Harry Guardino
Harry Guardino
Harry Guardino was an American actor whose career spanned from the early 1950s to the early 1990s. In 1964, he was cast in a short-lived CBS series entitled The Reporter, a drama about a hard-hitting investigative journalist named Danny Taylor. His principal co-star was Gary Merrill as city...
as Chicken, and Estelle Parsons
Estelle Parsons
Estelle Margaret Parsons is an American theatre, film and television actress and occasional theatrical director.After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program Today and made her stage debut in 1961...
as Myrtle. She was nominated for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Actress in a Play.
In 1970, the play was adapted for a feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
under the title Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots is a 1970 American drama film released by Warner Brothers. The screenplay by Gore Vidal is based on the Tennessee Williams play The Seven Descents of Myrtle....
.
A 1975 production in London, at the Greenwood Theatre, starring Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
as Myrtle, was cancelled after just three performances when Ms Faithfull fell ill with peritonitis.
In 1976, the play had its West Coast premiere at The Pasadena Repertory Theatre located in The Hotel Carver
The Hotel Carver
The Hotel Carver is a three story Victorian Building with full basement at 107 S. Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena, California. It was built in the late 1880s as part of the Doty Block in the Old Town Pasadena district. According to sources at the Pasadena Museum of History, it originally was a...
in Pasadena, California. It starred Marie Peckinpah as Myrtle, Duane Waddell as Chicken, and Ed Harris
Ed Harris
Edward Allen "Ed" Harris is an American actor, writer, and director, known for his performances in Appaloosa, Radio, The Rock, The Abyss, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence, and The Truman Show. Harris has also narrated commercials for The Home Depot and other companies...
as Lot. It featured a remarkable three story, rain-drenched set by Howard Whalen. The play was presented under Williams' original title "Kingdom of Earth" and ran for approximately 24 weekend performances over three months. It was directed by Gill Dennis, with executive producer Duane Waddell, and produced by Kevin Cloud Brechner.
In 1991, the play was produced in the UK at the Redgrave Theatre, Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
starring Kit Hollerbach as Myrtle, Stephen Hattersley as Chicken and Marc Warren
Marc Warren
Marc Warren is an English actor, known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play.-Career:...
as Lot in a production directed by Bill Bankes-Jones. Stephen Hattersley won Best Actor 1991 in the TMA Awards
TMA Awards
The TMA Awards, established in 1991, are presented annually by the Theatrical Management Association in recognition of creative excellence and outstanding work in United Kingdom theatres...
for his performance in this production.