Set in 1930s New Orleans, Suddenly Last Summer is a gothic melodrama with a shocking tale at its heart. In the grounds of a dark, troubled mansion, Mrs. Violet Venable prepares to host an explosive gathering. She idolized her son, Sebastian, who died in gruesome circumstances the summer preceding the time of the play. Mrs. Venable is determined to protect his untarnished reputation at all costs. Sebastian’s traveling companion and cousin, Catharine Holly, returned from their fatal trip with wild, savage stories of Sebastian’s predilections for young boys which led to his gory death, and Mrs. Venable is determined to put an end to her tales. She brings Doctor Cukrowicz to the house to persuade him into performing a lobotomy on Catharine and silence her forever. However, as the Doctor listens to Catharine’s story, it becomes clear that Sebastian was by no means the angel his mother claims.
Suddenly Last Summer guide sections
