Theater Talk Actress Elizabeth Ashley, critic John Lahr debate the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof revival

The background of the classic play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will be the focus of this weekend's "Theater Talk," the PBS chat show that offers interviews with top theatre practitioners.
Actress Elizabeth Ashley, who was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance as Maggie in the 1974 revival of Tennessee Williams' Cat and The New Yorker critic John Lahr discuss Tennesse Williams and what led him to create this classic American drama. They also debate the idea of doing Tennessee Williams' fifties southern-family drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with an all-Black cast.
The Cat revival - starring Terrence Howard, James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose - officially opens March 6, 2008 at the Broadhurst Theatre. Debbie Allen directs.
Original tape date: February 22, 2008.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Wonderful interview! Thanks for uploading! Lots of talent here! John Lahr (a very successful author, biographer & critic) certainly looks a lot like his late dad, iconic comedic actor Bert Lahr. And Ms. Ashley is a truly powerful actress.

[@missscarlett8117]

Elizabeth is so fantastic listen to her breathing it's probably from smoking for years but I think of a lioness purring!!!!

[@maxwellthornton5425]

That’s the spirit ❤

[@paulybarr]

oh, it's hard to listen to her gasping for every tiny lungful of air, but what a great actress.

[@nativevirginian8344]

What the heck is wrong with Yankees? There are about six different things going on in “Cat”, and race/slavery is not one of them. Greed, mendacity, bullies, latent homosexuality, love, sex, money and the want of all three. That isn’t enough for Mr. Lahr? The play was set in the 50’s, so Big Daddy had to have been born 30 years AFTER slavery, and amassed his land on his own. Williams illuminated his own life in his plays, slavery wasn’t a part of it. Lahr wrote a brilliant bio of Williams, but he is off on this one. (Ashley calls him on it, too)

[@missscarlett8117]

Amen

[@missscarlett8117]

I hate Yankees!

[@denhamable]

Does the word "cocaine" come up for anyone?

[@jeffkoons001]

kinda horrible to hear Elizabeth Ashley starved her cats. can't you find another way to learn your roles??

[@bramlintrent1145]

I don't think she means she literally "starved" them; probably, she kept them from being 100% full & 100% satisfied, so she could see the difference in a plump, well-fed, sleepy cat and a cat who was always a little bit needy.