Twisting, curling vines and leafy vegetation overtook the set of Suddenly Last Summer, which opened Monday in the Virginia Hahne Theater in Kantner Hall and pulled the audience into the play the moment they walked in the door.

Suddenly Last Summer, written by Tennessee Williams and directed by graduate student Greg Hubbard, integrated the audience and the set. The seating surrounded three sides of the square set and brought the audience into the depths of the confessions and conversations that took place in Mrs. Venable's (grad student C.J. Breland) garden.

In addition to the ground level seating, there was a second level for the audience positioned directly above. It was a walkway of sorts that wrapped two sides of the set with benches for the audience to sit at and a railing with even more seating directly underneath it. This section of the audience was directly level with the actors while other audience members had an aerial view among the leaves and branches around them, which completed the garden atmosphere.

The plot focused on the mystery surrounding the death of Sebastian Venable, Mrs. Venable's son. She believes her niece Catherine Holly (grad student Danyale Temple) was the cause of her son's death, so she summons Catherine to the garden to tell her the story first hand.

Breland perfectly portrayed the frail, old woman who reveled in controlling others and would do anything to preserve her son's memory as she saw it.

Throughout the play, everyone believes Catherine's story about Sebastian's death is a lie or fantastic hallucination. The audience is kept in the dark about the details of his death, and that mystery keeps audience members on the edge of their seats until they learn the truth. The story drew the audience in and gripped them with Mrs. Venable's plot to silence Catherine's story of Sebastian's death.

Temple was absolutely captivating as she slowly told the real story of Sebastian's death to Dr. Cukrowitz (grad student Casey McCellan) and eventually to her entire family.

There was very subtle lighting and music that acted as a setting from the soft chirping of crickets to the dramatic music at important scenes. Throughout however, the music was always just a background to the story; Very subtle music playing at just the right time.

It was a very simple play in terms of actors, with all on stage most of the time. The actors moved in circles around the stage, affording everyone a frontal view at times and a back or obstructed view at other times.

Suddenly Last Summer surpassed expectations for an end of the quarter play, which are often forgotten in the scuffle to prepare for exams. This one is an easy to watch, entertaining, must-see play, so take a break from your work this week and check it out. You'll be glad you did.

Suddenly Last Summer opened yesterday and will run until March 14. The show starts at 8 p.m. in the Virginia Hahne Theater.

Tickets cost $6 for students and seniors and $8 for adults and are available at the Fine Arts Ticket Office in Kantner Hall or by calling 593-4800.