Act Thee (Broadway Version) is a very classical ending, we can understand that Tennessee Williams wrote the first as a writer and the second as a potential viewer. There is great irony in the Original Act Three, Big Mamma states “Big Daddy…loves his family, he loves to have them around him.” We know that Big Daddy doesn’t like to be with any of his family, least of all Big Mamma. We see that especially in the Original Act, Tennessee Williams uses Brick as a dramatic device, by focusing on Brick whilst he is not saying much at all, yet singing “by the light…of the sil-ve-ry mo-ooo-n” we can see how full of “mendacity” the family are. Brick acts as a parallel, not speaking a great amount, not wanting to participate in the conversations whilst his family hide behind lies. In the Broadway version Brick begins to talk, he defends himself, instead of keeping calm, as he would have done previously, when questioned on Big Daddy, “I didn’t lie to Big Daddy. I’ve lied to nobody, nobody but myself”. At this point, there is an entire character development in Brick. We see the impact Big daddy had on him in Act two. We not only hear him talk, but what he is saying is a morality that he seems to have come to terms with. Brick’s tone is different, suggesting that he has possible begun to care.
The Broadway Version really develops Big Daddy’s character. When he is present onstage he is so powerful he almost mocks everyone else. We see how everyone reacts to him, especially from the stage directions, “[Mae and Gooper hurry along the upper gallery and stand behind Big Daddy in the hall door.]” Gooper refers to his father as “Sir” and both he and Mae try to cover up what they had just been saying about Big Daddy dying. Mae says, “[it’s] nothin’, Big Daddy…” Although one of the major differences between Original and the Broadway version is the presence of Big Daddy, in the Broadway version, the actual differences in the other characters’ are shown, for the most part, before Big Daddy enters with, “Looks like the wind was takin’ liberties with this place.” When Big Daddy is not onstage, his presence is constantly there. When absent, the conversation is about him and his “cancer”. Gooper first tries to justify himself about his relationship with Big Daddy, “I’ve always loved Big Daddy” but then, only moments later, he admits that he “ don’t give a goddamn if Big Daddy likes [him] or don’t”. The family are constantly talking about Big Daddy, and his land, money or love for every one of themselves, as Gooper has shown here.
In the Broadway Version, Tennessee Williams focuses more on the inheritance, Gooper fears more than anything that “Brick…[will] take hold of things [there]”. Brick is not too bothered, he even suggests checking himself into “Rainbow Hill” where Margaret explained to us earlier in the play, is “famous for treatin’ alcoholics an’ dope fiends in the movies!” Of course, we know that Brick is “not in the movies” and as his wife tells him, “you don’t take dope”, but he does drink, which is why he should go. Here we see the Character development, which is crucial in Brick. Previously in the play he would not have considered tackling his alcoholism, however, we understand here the implications of the conversation Brick had with Big Daddy. This is a very obvious way of showing the way in which Brick has been altered, however, in the Original Act Three; Brick also shows us this in the final line of the play. Responding to Margaret telling him, “I do love you, Brick, I do!” he echoes a line of Big Daddy’s, “Wouldn’t it be funny if that was true?”
In this way, Brick and Margaret end Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the way in which Tennessee Williams saw it, with their situation still up in the air, nothing resolved, nothing final. In this case nothing has changed by the end of the play, it is as if the characters have been completing a circular journey, which, inevitably makes them end up where they started. In the Broadway Version, although the situation is still left unresolved and we don’t know whether Brick will let Margaret “take hold” of him, the curtain falls after Margaret “[touches his check gently]” this is a sign of affection and Brick does not refuse it.
Altogether the Original Act is less eventful, less dramatic. It does not need the violent storm that takes place in the Broadway Version, to create tension. The writing is strong enough not to need the obvious theatricality of a storm. On the whole, it is more powerful and more credible. Big Daddy’s presence may help to develop the other’s characters’, yet it is, in itself, less powerful than the “[long drawn cry of agony and rage]” of the Original Act. In addition, Brick’s despair is too deep to believe that the conversation could have had that effect.
The Original Act is typical of Tennessee Williams and depicts the story the way in which he saw it, which was an unresolved ending. The audience should be able to leave the theatre and make up their minds for themselves what they think would have happened, and carry on thinking of it for a while.
