Picnic -- by William Inge (1953)

Description
I have wanted to read this play since I knew Emily Skinner was in a recent revival of it. It was part of a two-bill show with Come Back, Little Sheba. I had also had a higher level of interest for this play because I have heard Inge's name frequently. When I finally started to read the play, I realized why both the play was recently revived and why Inge is so renowned.

Picnic occurs in a small Kansas town in between two houses. Mrs. Helen Potts lives with her invalid mother and Flo lives with her two daughters, Millie and Madge. These two women are both widows. Their backyards provide the true setting for the play. The plot centers on Hal's disruption of the city. Hal is an old pal of Alan, Madge's beau. Hal lacks social etiquette, intelligence, and cleanliness. The town cannot get over his presence at Mrs. Potts' place as she provides lodging for him. Eventually, Hal is set up to go with Millie to go to the picnic wherein the youth of the city dance. When they go, Hal and Madge end up finding chemistry. I will not spoil the rest of the plot.

The writing as if Willa Cather, Meredith Willson, and Thomas Hardy had a love-child. If that doesn't convince you to read the play, then I don't know what will . . .

Candid Reactions

• Joshua Logan directed this? He also co-wrote South Pacific. Hmmm. 
• This was first produced at The Music Box Theatre! I saw Pippin there. 
• There is something quite lovable about the lengthy character descriptions writers used more typically in plays written earlier in the 20th century.
• Millie reminds you of Millie from Thoroughly Modern Millie when she sayd, "In Tulsa I could catch another train" (79). 
• The pressure to "strike while the iron is hot," so to speak, is present in this play. It reminds me of Amanda Wingfield's urgent demands to Laura in The Glass Menagerie.
• Did Millie just call Madge a "slut"?!?! 
• Flo argues, "Well -- pretty things -- like flowers and sunsets and rubies -- and pretty girls, too, they're like billboards telling us life is good" (88). Have you ever read a more romantic statement?  
• The concept of an inferiority complex is presented at the end of Act One. Once more, a parallel to TGM is drawn. 
• The train whistle at the end of Act One makes me think of a few things. First, it makes me think of the trend within paintings wherein technologies/modern modes of transportation were seen interrupting pastoral scenes. Second, it makes me think of the out-of-reach dreams for the characters in the play. 
• Madge can be dramatic: "It seems like -- when I'm looking in the mirror that's the only way I can prove to myself I'm alive" (105). Yikes!
• Uh-oh. Hal and Madge?
• Millie challenges Hal to "look natural" in his poses (113). As simple as the suggestion is, that line reveals tons of information about both characters. 
• Wow, Rosemary just went OFF!
• Inge continues to pile on the romantic language by having Rosemary cry, "I want to drive into the sunset (125).
• Hal's line at the end of Act Two could send shockwaves throughout the theater, I am sure of it!
• Howard proves to be an engaging minor character. 
• Rosemary's "pleases" are so pitiful. 
• The build-up of self-loathing is difficult to watch. 
• When Madge declares, "You were born to get in trouble," there is a shift in the air (140). 
• What is a "shivaree"? Find out here. 
• Mrs. Potts shares that Hal's presence reminded her that she was a woman (145). Her dialogue almost sounds biblical. 
• Millie's determination to find success without love is heartbreaking, really. 
• Mrs. Potts' final piece of wisdom is simple, yet effective: "You don't love someone because he's perfect, Flo" (147). 
• I would rank the ending to this play as one of the best endings of the plays I have read. 

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning
1.  Unconventional Characters
Hal, Madge, and Millie all provide unique backgrounds and perspectives. What it means to be a man or woman is questioned with their every decision. Through their actions, the reader reconsiders maturity, marriage, social norms, sisterhood/brotherhood, what it means to be a child, etc.

2. Female Power
The play is arguably feminist. It seems abnormal in that the main characters are almost all female. No, the play doesn't pass the Bechdel test, to my knowledge, because of the focus on romantic relationships. However, the play does spotlight the activism of women in a community. For women to have that representation in the 50s must have been enlighhtening.

Classroom Implications
I could see using this text in a high school setting. It could be used for character analysis, theme, and foils. I could see the text being paired with Pride and Prejudice or Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Personal Takeaway
The 1950s really were a golden era of playwriting!

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 8.0
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity (1.5)	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points	Devices somewhat enhance story (1.5)	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work (1.5)
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (1.75)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping! (1.75)	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically