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A Streetcar Named Desire
Malvern Theatres
****
This modern adaptation of Tennessee
Williams’ renowned play by English Touring Theatre has brought it bang
up to date in current day New Orleans.
It works well and has an eerie relevance and
poignancy in light of the recent ‘Me Too’ movement against sexual
violence.
From the onset, a cleverly designed set of a box
shape makes the confined interactions between brutish Stanley Kowalski,
his wife Stella and her visiting sister Blanche DuBois extremely
claustrophobic.
Stuck in a two-roomed flat together with brewing
tensions, tempers and lies, it’s rightfully uneasy viewing, which builds
slowly up to a crescendo.
Director Chelsea Walker, who won the 2017 RTST
Sir Peter Hall Director Award, stamps her mark on this production with
an obvious personal insight into New Orleans and a very youthful and
sensual feel to the story.
It feels fresh with lovely slow motion moments or
random breakouts of Blondie music and manic dancing that give an insight
into Blanche’s mind.
Playing Blanche is an impressive Kelly Gough. She
swaps easily between the sharp tongued southern belle and a broken woman
tormented by her past.
Her striking performance also has the benefit of
tremendously strong support from actors Patrick Knowles as Stanley,
Amber James as Stella and Dexter Flanders as Mitch.
While scenes between Blanche and Mitch are the
most tender and heart-wrenching with an air of calm, in contrast, the
confrontations involving Stanley are loud and imposing.
Although I was gripped throughout the show, which
is just shy of three hours, I wasn’t convinced by the way the final
scene was covered - almost like a read through by the actors rather than
acted out.
Co-produced with Theatr Clwyd and Nuffield
Southampton Theatres, this production is rated as a 14+ due to the adult
content and explicit sexual scenes.
It may be set in a different time, but this
thoughtful adaptation is still the essence of what Williams created and
leaves a lasting impression. Try and catch this impressive, fresh
production while you can. To 14-04-18.
Alison Brinkworth
10-04-18
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