5 April 2023 I 19:30 I Phoenix Theatre, London
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Streetcar Named Desire is such a mammoth play for Rebecca Frecknall and the creative team to take on, though it is handled with just the right amount of disturbed passion to reflect Blanche's tormented reality. Set on a wooden platform, we see this small area transformed into Stella and Stanley's flat in Elysian Fields, utilising minimalist scenic changes. But going deeper into the psychological aspects of Williams' play, the lone 'stage within a stage' creates a separated world that Blanche becomes immersed in. Having very recently studied this script for university, I had a lot of expectations ahead of the show. I admire how the original stage directions and conventions of the play are shattered to create a more flowing and representational piece. Though minor creative decisions leave a little to be desired.
It has to be commended how Madeleine Girling has taken such a naturalistic play, but rather than focusing on the grandeur of the set, homes in on a more claustrophobic atmosphere. This really delves into the subtext, and what a reader wouldn't typically see in the original writing. Girling’s geometric set enhances these tremors, where the raised square stage acts in resemblance to a boxing ring, that feeds off Stanley's primitive masculinity, thus defining his territory like an animal. Progressively, the stage becomes littered with the fallout of arguments, trashed furniture etc., which allows the space to be used as a site of violence and domestic disorder.
Following this, Paul Mescal's Stanley encapsulates the character's brutish dominance in the tensions of a post-war America. His garish characteristics become so wildly frightening. Where a charming husband becomes enveloped in disturbed thoughts, our first impressions crumble. Threats to Stanley's masculine pride provoke a frightening figure not only for the women of the flat, but to maintain a tense and silenced audience. Partnered with his wife Stella (Anjana Vasan), this adaptation brings to life a much stronger side to her character, in comparison to the more submissive tones of Williams’ script. The dynamic between this couple is immensely investing, with Stella's fieriness acting as fuel for Stanley's hatred, Mescal and Vasan complimenting one another’s stand-offish attitudes. With this production amassing 3 Oliver Awards, it is a shame that Patsy Ferran remains the only lead actress without one for her hysterical and fleeting representation of Blanche Dubois. From watching clips of previous productions, Ferran’s unique characterisation moves away from a tired and aged character, focusing on the frantic juxtaposition of Stanley's hard-headedness, a wholly engrossing take on such a harrowing role. From the quirky humour of Blanche's lines to her vulnerabilities following Stanley’s showdown, Patsy Ferran really understands the beautiful precisions of acting and defining a role in her own method.
This production of A Streetcar Named Desire is so very nearly there for me. Lee Curran’s lighting design holds some terrific moments with its symbolist imagery. The essence of secrecy is the most important theme of the piece, as Blanche wants to escape the reality of fading beauty. Sometimes, I feel the lines between the light being on/off are somewhat hard to distinguish, where ways to mimic this darkness could have been emphasised. In a largely naturalist script, abstract sequencing does not always align with what the play represents. Particularly scenic transitions, which see multicoloured lights border the central stage space in a frantic display of male transgressive behaviour, unfortunately getting lost with this contemporary fusion. However, Jabez Sykes' role of Allan Grey, who is not written as an active role in Williams’ script, is beautifully stylistic and haunting to disturb Blanche dreams with its repetition.
The opening vocal soundscape is mesmerising, although difficult to hear alongside the drums, used frequently across the show. Naturally, being a dominating instrument, this is overpowering when at its loudest volume. Regardless, the rising crescendo in certain moments really lends itself well to building tensions and melodramatic sound effect. Because I knew this text so well beforehand, it is easy to be slightly more critical, though objectively, technical stylings infused with contemporary influence doesn’t entirely compliment the traditionalist performances. Led by a tremendous cast, with such a gripping script, Frecknall’s production is a true celebration of Tennessee Williams’ writing. I would love to see this production get a longer run beyond its limited season at the Phoenix Theatre, for a new generation to experience classic theatre in such a heightened and investing adaptation.
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