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By
Katie-Anne Berk.
This
is a play that should need no introduction, which is lucky, because
I left the Playhouse feeling unsure of just what had happened and
what the story was about. The director's notes warn us that we are
not required to 'choose' between Blanche and Stanley, which is again
lucky, since my main problem with this play was that I did not care
about either of them.
The
story opens with Blanche (Elisabeth Gray) coming to New Orleans
to visit her sister, the pregnant Stella (Victoria Ross), and her
sister's husband Stanley (Mark Lesslie), in their dingy one-bedroom
apartment. She has nursed their dying relatives and 'lost' their
family home. As details of her shady past are revealed, and her
relationship with Stanley becomes steadily worse, her mental state
disintegrates, and Stella's loyalties are tested.
The
music, lighting design and set are very impressive, making this
a visually interesting piece. However, the sheer amount of space
on the Playhouse stage, and the prettiness of the set undermine
the feeling of cramped squalor which Blanche frequently complains
of. The music is also pretty and bluesy, but this succeeds in adding
an interesting edge to the more intense moments of the play, contrasting
in a fascinating way with the misery on-stage. However, I feel that
the use of louder music during Blanche's key speeches threatens
to do what director Tom Littler claims to be avoiding; it makes
them melodramatic. She becomes singsong at the very moment when
the richness of the writing is crying out to be expressed in an
understated manner.
Whilst
the acting performances were individually brilliant, there was something
missing from this production. Perhaps it is a failing of the play
that it contains islands of heightened drama within a sea of general
tedium. I found myself switching off during Gray's brilliantly delivered
speeches because I did not care enough about Blanche to listen to
her. I have no doubt that if you love the play then you will consider
this to be a very slick and professional student production, however
I left feeling underwhelmed.
The
views expressed in these comments are those of the contributor's
and not the BBC.
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