Tueth reviews a 1996 revival production of Williams 'splay. Comparing the 1961 play to recent revivals of other playwrights' works, the critic foundNight of the Iguana to have weathered the decades quite well, calling it a "beautiful and compassionate play."

The American theater is now at the stage of maturity in which a theater season needs to include some revivals of what might be considered American classics. Not all such revived plays bear up well under the test of time. For instance, two recent Broadway revivals of popular plays by William Inge, "Picnic" and "Bus Stop," have come across almost as period pieces from the pre-sexual-revolution era of the 1950's. Tennessee Williams, however, seems to be faring much better, especially in one current production.

The Night of the Iguana, which opened in 1961, is generally considered to be Williams' s last Broadway success. It enjoyed considerable attention at the...