Although this Glass Menagerie is a co-production between three of the most prominent theatres in Scotland (Dundee Rep, Lyceum and Citizens), it offers little in the way of dynamic, provocative dramaturgy. Tennessee Williams’ script is dense and verbose, guiding the audience through a poignant memory of his dysfunctional family, with the author’s stand-in narrating details and their context: while it provides a commentary on disability, fading hopes and the beckoning future of war and adventure, this production roots itself so heavily in the script’s historical moment that it barely speaks to the present.

The language is rich and eloquent, and the performances are all strong if stilted at times. Following the domestic conflicts of a mother, her son and daughter, it delves deeply into the characters’ psychology, with the arrival of a ‘gentleman caller’ destroying their fantasies of security. The production is theatrically precise, its scenography detailed and lighting evocative of the diminishing aspirations of the family, making the tragedy all the more explicit and measured.

Nevertheless, Williams’ play is as dated as the mother’s ambitions: the delivery never quite captures the repressive hothouse atmosphere that lurks in the son’s poetic ambitions and those euphemistic visits to the cinema or the daughter’s frustrated desire to love and be loved. Without that emotional violence, this production reverts to a period piece, a familiar treat for audiences who respect the language of theatre and can indulge in a trip to the dramatic past.

Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Tuesday 4–Saturday 8 November; reviewed at Dundee Rep; main picture: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan.