Last performed in Scotland in 2015, Scottish Ballet is back with its production of A Streetcar Named Desire. This production rejuvenates the enduring masterpiece of Tennese Williams’ original work with stylish design, impeccable dance and heartbreaking tragedy to His Majesty’s Theatre.
Grace Paulley’s portrayal is compelling as the unstable Blanche Dubois. We watch the character stumble in and out of reality, desperately chasing the ghosts of her past. Her body language translates beautifully in scenes with Rimbaud Patron’s cruel Stanley. Stanley’s assault is brutally visual, leaving nothing to the imagination. This production is honest with its intense themes and doesn’t hide from the heavy contents of William’s work.
Claire Souet provides a contrast to Hendricks as her sister Stella. Where Blanches refuses, Stella embraces the working class of New Orleans and seems to be one of the few that can soften Stanley’s harshness, seen in their gorgeous duets throughout the piece.
Bruno Micchiardi’s Mitch is clownish and lovable.
The lampshade motif is not lost on the audience as we observe Blanche hide her secrets from him, ultimately leading to Mitch tearing down the shade upon discovering her seedy history, revealing a blinding truth for Blanche. Micchiardi’s charm may be lost on Blanche, but delights the audience with the character’s nature.
A key figure among the cast is Javier Andreu representing the ghost of Blanche’s husband, Alan. Andreu haunts the stage with superb stage presence, not only adding depth to Blanche’s motivations, but a complexity of morals seen in the fantasy sequences with Blanche, Alan and his lover played by Thomas Edwards.
From bowling team members to the uproar of the Mississippi community, the ensemble furnishes this production with character and power.
Nicola Turner’s stripped back minimal sets pack a punch, revealing train carriages, bowling alleys, night clubs and the cinema.
Lighting by Tim Mitchell only amplifies the symbolism of this production, using spotlights to isolate Blanche as she struggles moth-like towards the light she can never reach.
The original score by Peter Salem is an integral piece of this production. Taking inspiration from the diversity of music during that time, Salem layers police sirens and dogs barking underneath a blend of blues, swing and latin to create the sound of New Orleans. As Blanche’s mental health deteriorates, we hear the sounds of the production begin to bleed together. The murmurs of the Mexican flower seller, the fluttering strings and the roar of jazz leads to the shattering climax of the performance.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s choreography and Nancy Meckler’s direction weave the strained relationships, and create the perfect example of actions speaking louder than words with Blanche’s inner tensions. A highlight being the overstimulation of Blanche’s fantasy, reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, in contrast with the deprivation when we immediately cut back to the stark reality of the Kowalski’s apartment.
This production deviates from William’s original work by depicting the past-experiences of these characters at the beginning of the performance, instead of slowly revealing their history throughout. By doing this, the audience fully understand Blanche’s trauma as we empathise with her actions and behaviours following the suicide of her husband.
Scottish Ballet creates a fantastic adaptation of Tennesse Williams’ work, providing a deeper insight into Blanche’s unravelling.
With staggering design and sensational dance, A Streetcar Named Desire shows the ugly history of equality. The complexity of its characters and uncomfortable themes are driven by a stellar cast and crew.
A Streetcar Named Desire is running at His Majesty’s Theatre, from the 27th-29th of April 2023.
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Get your tickets here –
https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/whats-on/a-streetcar-named-desire/#book
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