Written by J.B. Priestley
Directed by Lou Jacob
Synopsis:
This 1957 play revolves around the McBanes, a pious, Bible-thumping lot, dominated by the bullying David and his bachelor brother, Malcolm. Into their midst comes a strange trio of siblings, the fruits of a marriage between a third, wild McBane brother and a Native American woman.
NEW YORK TIMES:
"Like most things written on commission rather than on inspiration, J. B. Priestley’s “Glass Cage” has the feel of a play stitched together with bits and pieces of the playwright’s pet peeves, though in the smooth and polished staging by the Mint Theater Company the seams rarely show. "
Read the whole review HERE.
THEATERMANIA:
"And in shaking the cobwebs from this neglected but effective 1957 play, originally written for Canada's Crest Theatre, the company comes through with another of their fresh and intelligent airings. "
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VARIETY:
"Treating this moribund material to a vigorous production is only the half of it. Among other ancillary offerings, post-performance talks, a documentary film, and a well-stocked library cushion the play in its historical context, making it relevant and enjoyable for modern auds. "
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TIME OUT NY:
"For anyone who cares about continuity in theater history, who wants to see connections between playwrights over centuries, the Mint Theater Company is heroic. While the big nonprofits roll out the same greatest hits of Western drama (with very little dramaturgical insight or motivation—except that of creating star vehicles), the Mint finds obscure but rewarding riches from the shadowy recesses of its vault. For example, J.B. Priestley’s 1957 family drama The Glass Cage is arguably the missing link between Ibsen’s bourgeois tragedies and the moody domestic-subversion shockers of Joe Orton and Harold Pinter. "
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BACKSTAGE:
"Where Priestley's An Inspector Calls effectively reinvented a murder mystery as a societal critique, The Glass Cage's sudden leap into religious imagery falls flat. Nevertheless, it's a good yarn with meaty roles and is performed by the Mint with élan, despite the unsatisfying ending."
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