Tennessee Williams, one of the most significant playwrights that have marked the 20th century, was a cult figure of american cultural sphere, and his plays are continuously performed all over the world. In 2011. we have marked 100 years since his birth through a project that included an exhibition of photographs of different stagings of Williams’ plays in Serbia from 1952 – 2011, a debate on Williams’ creative work, film showings and a theatre show The Glass Menagerie.

The project has been realized with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America in Belgrade and in cooperation with American Corners across Serbia (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Vranje, Subotica, Novi Pazar), Museum of Theatre Art of Serbia, Belgrade City Library, Dom omladine Belgrade, Culture Centre of Niš and Cultural Centre of Novi Sad.   

“I don’t ask for your pity, but just for your understanding – not even that – no. Just for some recognition of me in you, and the enemy, time, in us all.” (Tennessee Williams)

Exhibition – Tennessee Williams in Serbian theatre (American Corners in different cities in Serbia)

Tennessee Williams’ plays have been often performed on the serbian stages, since the 1950s, and many of the accalaimed performing artists have particiapted in the stagings (Olivera Marković, Tatjana Lukjanova, Rade Marković, Mihajlo Janketić, Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković, Žarko Laušević, Nataša Ninković etc.). Exhibition included photographs of selected performances in Serbian theatre from 1952 till 2009, as well as program books, brochures and posters from the archive of the Museum of Theatre Arts of Serbia.

Debate – Tennessee Williams – a century after (Belgrade City Library)

Participants in the debate have approached Williams’ from different angles in order to achieve a comprehensive view on the relevance of this author in the 21st century. They have researched construction and destruction of the myth on Tennessee Williams, his relevance in the past and present, and how does the theatrical work on his plays look like.

Moderator: Uroš Tomić, anglicist
Participants: 
Simona Čupić, art historian
Ivana Vujić, theatre director
Danica Ristovski, actress
Jovan Ćirilov, theatrologist

Movie projections (American Corners in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Vranje, Subotica, Novi Pazar)

Movies that were presented in several cities in Serbia include: Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Tennessee Williams’ South (1973), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) I The Night of the Iguana (1964).

Performance „The Glass Menagerie“ (Dom omladine Beograda/Belgrade Youth Centre)

Performance was a contemporary interpretation of the famous Williams’ play, and you can find more information about it here.