In Masks Outrageous and Austere
Encyclopedia
In Masks Outrageous and Austere is the final, full-length play
of Tennessee Williams
written between 1978 and the fall of 1982.
is death
and also corporate greed
. Tennessee Williams
believed the play had the content of a major work The different versions over the years 1979–1982 are cited as becoming, “more nightmarish, going from a basically realistic play with some fantastic overtones to becoming one of Williams’ most outlandish creations.” “Masks Outrageous (the play’s last title) is probably the most outrageous version of the play.” “The final version combines bizarre characters, dark humor and exhorbitant theatricality.”
Linda Dorff, a prominent scholar of Tennessee Williams
's later works, in her doctoral thesis categorizes the play as having an "apocalyptic conspiracy plot." According to Dorff, Masks Outrageous and the Red Devil Battery Sign present "without doubt, the bleakest world views to be found in the Williams canon.... where characters are sure to meet with destruction." In it, "he (Tennessee Williams
) moves the frame of his drama onto a wide-angle epic stage and the frame becomes more serious..."
, Tennessee Williams
's former assistant, that Williams used two plays of James Purdy
's, "Children Is All" and "Cracks" as inspiration for the content and dialogue structure. There is a copy of each draft of the Williams play in chronological order: Tent Worms, In Masks Outrageous and Austere, and Gideon's Point. (Gideons' Point was produced in Williamstown) and finally Masks Outrageous, in the Columbia University archives. Williams entrusted the script to Gavin Lambert. Lambert is named as Editor on some of the drafts to the version Masks Outrageous. One cannot determine any Lambert contribution to neither Gideon’s Point nor Masks Outrageous. There is no substantive change in the material, and no incidental change as well. It seems to be exactly like Gideon’s Point.
The dates of entry of Lambert into the material are conflicting. In his introductions, he states that he entered into the material in 1981, and also 6 months before Williams died. Linda Dorff, who interviewed Gavin Lambert in 1996, states: "According to Lambert, Williams had agreed to allow him to direct the play." She makes no assertions about his editing of it, other than his name appears as editor on the title page of an undated version. At the United States Copyright Office, one cannot find a record affirming Lambert's editorial contribution to “Masks Outrageous".
Indeed, statements cloud a clear understanding. Press statements sometimes pay no attention to the fact that there are four versions (in its evolution) of the work by Tennessee Williams
in the archives.
There are two assignments of copyright at the United States Copyright Office signed January 3, 2008, and recorded January 18, 2008. One by Gore Vidal, and one by Peter Bogdanovich. The assignment seems confusing. Although the application page says "Total number of titles in the document: 2" and the fee appears to be for two titles, the actual Assignment of Copyright states "with respect to the play MASKS OUTRAGEOUS (alternative title IN MASKS OUTRAGEOUS AND AUSTERE) written by Tennessee Williams." These are two separate and very distinct versions. They are not a single play as evidenced in the Columbia University archives. Furthermore, searches did not reveal recordation of an assignment from Gavin Lambert for Masks Outrageous which he claims to have edited.
There is no public information as of this writing as to who might have present editorial control of the manuscript. It appears not to be Vidal. And according to Vidal the play “may never be able to be done”.
A version of the script dated November 6, 2007 (see below) surfaced which bears Final Reconciled Draft on the title page, but does not name Gore Vidal
as editor.
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
of Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
written between 1978 and the fall of 1982.
Subject
The subject of In Masks Outrageous and Austere according to Gore VidalGore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
is death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
and also corporate greed
Greed
Greed is an excessive desire to possess wealth, goods, or abstract things of value with the intention to keep it for one's self. Greed is inappropriate expectation...
. Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
believed the play had the content of a major work The different versions over the years 1979–1982 are cited as becoming, “more nightmarish, going from a basically realistic play with some fantastic overtones to becoming one of Williams’ most outlandish creations.” “Masks Outrageous (the play’s last title) is probably the most outrageous version of the play.” “The final version combines bizarre characters, dark humor and exhorbitant theatricality.”
Linda Dorff, a prominent scholar of Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
's later works, in her doctoral thesis categorizes the play as having an "apocalyptic conspiracy plot." According to Dorff, Masks Outrageous and the Red Devil Battery Sign present "without doubt, the bleakest world views to be found in the Williams canon.... where characters are sure to meet with destruction." In it, "he (Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
) moves the frame of his drama onto a wide-angle epic stage and the frame becomes more serious..."
The Drafts Surrounding the Title In Masks Outrageous and Austere
One is unable to ascertain what script is being mentioned, even when they talk of the two scripts of recordation, Masks Outrageous aka In Masks Outrageous and Austere. “The first (In Masks Outrageous and Austere) and last (Masks Outrageous) drafts are radically different in tone and style. (The first title of the work is Tent Worms, (see below)).Manuscript Genesis
Williams never did an assembly of the developmental subject material to his liking. He is known for doing a wide exploration of a subject: of character, atmosphere, and story and that this exploration leads to a solidifying which in turn begins to become a final assembled and then later an approved draft. It has been suggested by John UeckerJohn Uecker
John Uecker is a producer, director, actor, and editor whose work may be considered to occur in the genre and forms of magic realism, metarealism, poetic realism or heightened realism...
, Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
's former assistant, that Williams used two plays of James Purdy
James Purdy
James Otis Purdy was a controversial American novelist, short story-writer, poet, and playwright who, since his debut in 1956, published over a dozen novels, and many collections of poetry, short stories, and plays. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages. He has been praised by...
's, "Children Is All" and "Cracks" as inspiration for the content and dialogue structure. There is a copy of each draft of the Williams play in chronological order: Tent Worms, In Masks Outrageous and Austere, and Gideon's Point. (Gideons' Point was produced in Williamstown) and finally Masks Outrageous, in the Columbia University archives. Williams entrusted the script to Gavin Lambert. Lambert is named as Editor on some of the drafts to the version Masks Outrageous. One cannot determine any Lambert contribution to neither Gideon’s Point nor Masks Outrageous. There is no substantive change in the material, and no incidental change as well. It seems to be exactly like Gideon’s Point.
The dates of entry of Lambert into the material are conflicting. In his introductions, he states that he entered into the material in 1981, and also 6 months before Williams died. Linda Dorff, who interviewed Gavin Lambert in 1996, states: "According to Lambert, Williams had agreed to allow him to direct the play." She makes no assertions about his editing of it, other than his name appears as editor on the title page of an undated version. At the United States Copyright Office, one cannot find a record affirming Lambert's editorial contribution to “Masks Outrageous".
Authorship Genesis
Even if it is accepted that Lambert made no contribution to the play, which seems likely, the editorship of drafts and versions which have appeared beyond the archives raise questions.Indeed, statements cloud a clear understanding. Press statements sometimes pay no attention to the fact that there are four versions (in its evolution) of the work by Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
in the archives.
There are two assignments of copyright at the United States Copyright Office signed January 3, 2008, and recorded January 18, 2008. One by Gore Vidal, and one by Peter Bogdanovich. The assignment seems confusing. Although the application page says "Total number of titles in the document: 2" and the fee appears to be for two titles, the actual Assignment of Copyright states "with respect to the play MASKS OUTRAGEOUS (alternative title IN MASKS OUTRAGEOUS AND AUSTERE) written by Tennessee Williams." These are two separate and very distinct versions. They are not a single play as evidenced in the Columbia University archives. Furthermore, searches did not reveal recordation of an assignment from Gavin Lambert for Masks Outrageous which he claims to have edited.
There is no public information as of this writing as to who might have present editorial control of the manuscript. It appears not to be Vidal. And according to Vidal the play “may never be able to be done”.
A version of the script dated November 6, 2007 (see below) surfaced which bears Final Reconciled Draft on the title page, but does not name Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
as editor.
The Final Reconciled Draft
There is a play bearing a title page which has been circulated by producers, with the text "In Masks Outrageous and Austere, A Play by Tennessee Williams Final Reconciled Draft November 6, 2007. One infers that it might be the script of recordation at the United States Copyright Office. It says it is "A Play by Tennessee Williams", but to that extent, it is unclear who generated this title page or what their contributions were to this manuscript.- Linda Dorff's work on this particular play is apparently incomplete. She asserts only two drafts: In Masks Outrageous and Austere, and Masks Outrageous. Her 1970 date of Williams' first draft is incorrect. He began the draft in 1978. Her thesis is unaware of the Gideon's Point production in Williamstown. (p. 375, Linda Dorff's Rutgers University Doctoral Thesis), which is mentioned by Prosser in his book "The Late Plays of Tennessee Williams").