In the Summer House

In the Summer House (1953), a play by Jane Bowles. [Playhouse, 55 perf.] Gertrude Eastman‐Cuevas (Judith Anderson) is a viciously domineering mother who would keep her daughter, Molly (Elizabeth Ross), firmly under her thumb. By contrast, the boozy, weak Mrs. Constable (Mildred Dunnock) has long since been deserted by her family. When Molly finally finds the strength to leave her harridan mother, Gertrude finds herself helpless, while Mrs. Constable continues to take solace in her drink. Originally presented at the Hedgerow Theatre, the play was brought to Broadway by Oliver Smith and the Playwrights' Company. Although it was written with great insight and style, it remained too demanding and dramatically ineffectual to recruit large audiences. A high point was Gertrude's ten‐minute monologue, which opened the play. The play was revived with some interest at Lincoln Center in 1993. Jane Auer BOWLES (1917–73), the wife of composer and author Paul Bowles, was best known for her novels and short stories. This was her first and only important play.