A Streetcar Named Desire

~~This 1947 play won the Pulitzer Prize.  Set in New Orleans, refined but fading English teacher Blanche DuBois arrives on her sister Stella’s doorstep via a Streetcar named Desire. She says she’s taking a break for her nerves, but in fact has been dismissed for having an affair with a 17 year old boy and other indiscretions yet to be discovered.  She had a brief marriage at an early age when her husband, a homosexual, shot himself. Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski  dislikes Blanche’s haughty ways, she in turn thinks he’s rough, almost animal like but Stella adores him.  Inevitably conflicts occur and Stanley begins to unveil her past, culminating a rape.  This results in a total breakdown and Blanche is finally committed to a mental institution.  Very poignant, quite violent at times, there is an amazing amount of script and very fast action.  The set was two interconnecting rooms of a shabby apartment separated only by a curtain. The effects of immense heat were particularly well conveyed. This performance was adjudicated by David Vince for the Kent Drama Festival, full length plays.  The actors worked hard and dug deep to capture their characters. Sadly there were prompts which interrupted the general flow.  Angela Woodcock portrayed a convincing increasingly unbalanced Blanche with David Baker coming across very strongly as Stanley. Well supported by Rachel Croft-Golding as pregnant Stella, with good pairing of Victoria King and Simon Tomlinson as the neighbours the Hubbells, together with James Hanaway as Mitch, Maurice Wilkins Pablo, James Hammond the young man and finally Debbie Knight the woman and nurse, with Geoff King as a sailor and doctor.  Louisa, an American herself with a deep love of Williams produced this creditable difficult play.

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