A Streetcar Named Desire

The cottage last night had a more than passing resemblance to Streetcar , what with Chris doing his best Stanley Kowalski impersonation over a piss stained duvet . 

It was hot and humid strangely enough too.....so I could be forgiven for having a late night bath after the drama was all over, in order to " sooth my nerves" 

( last night's blog will explain all)

Today's blog.....thank goodness....is a mini review!

Blanche

 To me, the real sadness of A Streetcar Named Desire stems from Blanche DuBois'  loneliness rather than from any of the domestic violence, brutality, rape and madness that spirals away after three damaged souls are cooped up in a grubby two roomed Southern state apartment. Her inability to cope as a single entity is perfectly judged by Gillian Anderson in the New Vic's latest production and her most powerful scenes are not the iconic and histrionic " lying and faded Southern Belle" monologues everyone remembers but the soft and painful sharing of loneliness between Blanche and  Mitch when both cling to each other from their own dark places of isolation

Stanley

Anderson is wonderful as Blanche and the hulking Ben Foster is equally impressive ( in more ways than one) as Stanley  but for me , it is Vanessa Kirby performance as Stella that lingers long in the mind.

Her Stella, is a sexy, bright  survivor with  more than enough love for Her husband, sister and her baby in equal measures. The play's sex scenes between her and Stanley, ground the whole narrative and explain exactly why she stays in the life she has chosen. 

Her performance captures quite beautifully the unquestioning sense of loyalty she has for her family.

Stella

There , were, however aspects of the play that didn't work as well as the performances . The modern day setting, the revolving stage ( designed to give the audience an ever changing view of the claustrophobic setting) and the incredibly loud bursts of music , I felt intruded on the play that stands alone without gimmicks