thumb|First edition<br />(publ. [[New Directions Publishing|New Directions) ]]

Sweet Bird of Youth is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams that tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his hometown as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess Kosmonopolis), whom he hopes to use to help him break into the movies. The main reason for his homecoming is to get back what he had in his youth, primarily, his old girlfriend, whose father had run him out of town years before. The play was written for Tallulah Bankhead, a good friend of Williams.

Sweet Bird of Youth originated around 1956 as two plays: a two-character version of the final play featuring only Chance and the Princess, and a one-act play titled The Pink Bedroom that was later developed into Act Two of the play, featuring Boss Finley and his family.

As Sweet Bird of Youth, the work-in-progress had a tryout production starring Tallulah Bankhead and Robert Drivas in Coral Gables, Florida, directed by George Keathley which began before Williams' agent Audrey Wood knew he had a new play. Elia Kazan saw it. Kazan and Cheryl Crawford were "party to the secret and petitioned Audrey to let them produce and direct the new play."

A revival opened on December 29, 1975, at the Harkness Theatre, in a production directed by Edwin Sherin, starring Christopher Walken as Chance Wayne and Irene Worth as Princess Kosmonopolis. Worth won the 1976 Tony Award for Best Actress.

A production was planned to open in 2011 with David Cromer directing and Scott Rudin serving as producer. In 2012, the production was at the Goodman Theatre to much acclaim, with Diane Lane in the lead role.

London

After 26 years, Sweet Bird of Youth appeared in London's West End. It opened on July 8, 1985, at the Haymarket Theatre in a production directed by Harold Pinter and presented by impresario Douglas Urbanski; it starred Lauren Bacall and Michael Beck with James Grout and David Cunningham. This production later transferred to Los Angeles under the direction of Michael Blakemore.

The play returned to the London stage on 1 June 2013 with a production at The Old Vic directed by Marianne Elliott and starring Kim Cattrall as Del Lago and Seth Numrich as Chance.

Chichester

The play was revived in 2017 at Chichester Festival Theatre, running from June 2 to 24. Directed by Jonathan Kent, it starred Marcia Gay Harden as Alexandra del Lago/The Princess Kosmonopolis and Brian J. Smith as Chance Wayne. Co-stars included Emma Amos and Richard Cordery.

Film adaptations

1962 feature film

In 1962, the play was made into a feature film starring Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Shirley Knight, Madeleine Sherwood, Ed Begley, Rip Torn and Mildred Dunnock. The movie was adapted and directed by Richard Brooks.

1989 television film

Sweet Bird of Youth was made for television in 1989, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Mark Harmon, Valerie Perrine, Ronnie Claire Edwards, Cheryl Paris, Kevin Geer and Rip Torn. It was adapted by Gavin Lambert.

  • In the Robert Zemeckis film Death Becomes Her (1992), lead character Madeline Ashton (played by Meryl Streep) is depicted as the star of a failing Broadway musical adaptation of Sweet Bird of Youth titled Songbird!.
  • The song "Sweet Bird of Truth" by the rock group The The is a reference to the Tennessee Williams play.
  • A reference to the Tennessee Williams play (as well as Williams) was written by Bernie Taupin in his lyric for Elton John's song "Lies" from John's 1995 album Made in England.
  • The Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou wrote incidental music for the play (2016-17)

References

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