"Something Unspoken/Suddenly Last Summer" by Tennessee Williams.

Lace Market Theatre.

Here are a couple of plays from the pen of Tennessee Williams that are not performed that often. His big plays like "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", "The Menagerie" and " A Streetcar Named Desire" sometimes overlook these two, one act plays go together as a double bill under the umbrella - or should that be parasol - of "Garden District".

"Something Unspoken", written in 1958, is a two-hander featuring Miss Cornelia Scott (Monica Dakin), a wealthy Southern spinster in her 60s. She is waiting nervously to hear about the local elections, which she has an invested interest in. Her secretary/companion, Miss Grace Lancaster (Lowenna Quantick), has been with her for 15 years.

The two women have a complex co-dependent relationship. There is tension between them - something unspoken, and the situation comes to a head in a confrontation between them.

There's a strong relationship shown between these two women, but it's not until near the end of the play that you get that light bulb moment as to what that particular "unspoken" thing is. That something that is unspoken ties the two plays together, and you'll then realise why these two plays are performed in this particular month.

Monica and Lowenna's accents are delivered well and I think the nervousness of Miss Scott is shown particularly well, especially as there was another reason for her nervousness, which when you come and see the play, you'll soon twig.

Lowenna, as Miss Lancaster, gets that build up to the confrontation spot on; nicely paced.

There's a lot of detail gone into this play, even though the two ladies spend most of their time sitting at the breakfast table; well, I assumed it was that time of day as there were grapefruits in the bowls - maybe in the Deep South, they eat grapefruits at any meal. There were drinks in the tea cups, silver cutlery and a lovely old fashioned gramophone player.

I am going to be just a little pedantic though because I have never seen a gramophone player where the arm and needle is on the left hand side of the turntable, as operated by Miss Lancaster.

This first play lasts half an hour.

"Suddenly Last Summer", written about the same time was made into a film in 1959 starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift and is much darker than "Unspoken", so much so that the film is classed as a gothic classic.

The play, again written in 1958, begins in 1936 in New Orleans’ Garden District and is about a group of family members who dispute the story and character of a young man, Sebastian, who died the previous summer. While Sebastian’s mother, Mrs. Violet Venable, glorifies her son, her niece, Catharine, attacks Sebastian’s character. The two sparring women each have their own motives for asserting their account of Sebastian: Violet wishes to protect her son and ruin his attackers, and Catharine wants to gain partial control over Sebastian’s estate. But Mrs V seems to be willing to do anything to protect her son's name!

This is one of those casts that have just got everything together; the pace, the anger, the calm, the Deep South accents, as in the first play, are excellent, and you even get the feeling of that sultry heat when you see them wiping the back of their necks with their handkerchiefs

Cynthia Marsh (Mrs Veneble) was wonderfully dramatic, especially when the truth, or what may be the truth came out.

Matthew Huntbach (Doctor Sugar - or to give him his full name Dr Cukrowicz) maintained the professional stance of a medical man at all times; but do you agree with his final statement? Lovely controlled performance.

Sara Tehrani (Catharine Holly) plays the niece who may have all the answers to what really happened on their Summer vacation when Sebastian lost his life, but that depends on who's listening.

Laura Sherratt (Sister Felicity) plays Catharine's nurse, who is also a nun, who tries her best to apply all of the rules surrounding Catharine's little outside venture from the institution.

Payash Raslan (Miss Foxhill) plays Mrs Veneble's loyal servant, quiet and dutiful.

Donna Scheffki (Mrs Holly). She is desperate to keep the peace with Mrs. Venable so she and her children will receive the money and possessions Sebastian left to them in his will.

David Field (George Holly) looks immaculate in his whiter than white suit and shoes, but there's even a story behind the suit as well! His little explosions of anger throughout show his desperation for that equal share of the estate.

Several new faces to me and apparently someone who is completely new, so I was informed. Well, whoever they were, I didn't spot the one because all the actors in both plays looked to have been doing this acting lark for a while. If any nerves were shown, they incorporated them into their character. This cast is a well-oiled machine who blended well together on stage, and certainly kept me gripped.

Directed by Gordon Parsons, he set about, not only to present two intense plays, but to make sure that the conversation carried on during the interval as well as after the plays finished. There's a lot for an audience member to discuss because these two plays have you, not only watching the action, but also listening to what is being said, because the clues are all there for you to make your own mind up about the disguised subplots. Gordon certainly made sure that my attention was well and truly focused on both senses.

The Set Designs are by Tabitha Daniels. As I said earlier, the attention to detail in the first set was excellent. In the second play, the set is expanded to show the luxurious garden that Sebastian tended, and this is where a lot of suggested information lies in wait for you.

Lighting Design is by Nick Gale, and while the design is simple, it shows and says everything that you need it to show and say. Nothing fancy, but these are plays that do not require special lighting effects; both plays well illuminated.

Sound Design by Matthew Allcock, David Dunford and Aaron Connelly. "Something Unspoken" utilised effects designed for the intimacy of the piece, but I especially liked that there was a voice on the other end of the telephone when it was answered.

There is a greater scope of sound effects in "Suddenly Last Summer" with the use of bird calls to remind you that you are in a garden.

The costumes, as you'd expect are glorious, and are provided by Max Bromley. Plenty of pale colours and I loved the suits complete with bow ties, showing the style of the 1930's, the period that both plays were set.. And I am sure that I don't need to mention the women's costumes depicting their various statures within their community.

Two excellent but rarely performed Tennessee Williams' plays that you may not get to see on stage for many years to come, so take the opportunity to see some very classy performers, performing with class.

"Something Unspoken/Suddenly Last Summer" will be at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 1 July.