A Streetcar Named Desire at Crucible Theatre Sheffield Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Sheridan Brown
Sheffield Theatres’ production of A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, has opened at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. This Pulitzer Prize-winning play is an emotionally charged and visceral exploration of desire and power, fragility and illusion, and framed by the social tensions of post-World War II America. This much acclaimed play debuted on Broadway in 1947 with a dazzling cast, including Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando. I have never seen the play before and thoroughly enjoyed this new imagining, beautifully directed by the award-winning Josh Seymour. The play revolves around the troubled ‘Southern Belle’ Blanche DuBois – fabulously played by Joanna Vanderham – as she outstays her welcome at her sister and brother-in-law’s tiny apartment in New Orleans. Blanche’s past is not what it seems and slowly her façade unravels – with truly awful consequences.
We caught the tram into Sheffield city centre; a very easy 18-minute park-and-ride journey from Meadowhall. We got off the tram at Castle Square, and strolled to the theatre – just 5 minutes from the tram stop. Arriving at the theatre we were warmly greeted by very helpful staff. The theatre is well laid out and it was easy to find our door and seat. As we took our seats, I overheard someone nearby commenting on how great the atmosphere was at the venue.
I have never been to The Crucible before and was bowled away by the layout of the auditorium. The stage thrusts out into the space, with audience seating arranged on three sides. This means we could never be more than 20 metres from the action. The physical proximity, and the way that the stage was used, certainly enhanced our emotional connection to the characters and scenes in the performance.
As soon as I was settled in my seat, I took some time to take in the circular set, very well designed by Frankie Bradshaw. We were presented with a small, 3 room, shabby apartment: kitchen, bedroom, bathroom. The set was arranged so that action in different rooms could be seen at the same time with simple metal frames and curtains hinting at the doorways between rooms. Behind the circular stage was a balcony that suggested other families living cheek-by-jowl in the apartment block. A piano was positioned on the balcony.
The way that the set rotated and moved was central to the way that the characters interacted with each other, magnifying the internal thoughts of individuals and heightening the power of particular scenes to the audience. The cast worked the circular space imaginatively and wonderfully. The set was also enhanced by the clever use of lighting. Lighting Designer, Howard Harrison’s ideas brought to life different times of day and night. Light, shade, brilliance and colour enhanced and heightened and key moments of action and tension.
From the opening of the play, I was impressed by the complexity of accents, dialects and voices captured by the characters. The Dialect Coach, Aundrea Fudge and Vocal Coach Tess Dignan, had clearly worked hard to reflect the nuances and ‘song’ of speech from Mississippi, New Orleans and beyond – reflecting the ‘melting-pot’ of voices in mid-century America. Whilst all characters did amazingly well with this, I felt that the strongest performance in terms of consistency of vocal performance was that of the main character, Blanche DuBois, whose initially refined accent became more fraught as her character unravelled.
For me, characterisations in the play were complex and multidimensional – each character had several layers – some positive and some questionable. Sometimes their interactions and behaviours were deeply disconcerting. Each and every one had layers they were prepared to share and layers they preferred to keep hidden. Blanche’s sister, Stella (played by Amara Okereke) and her husband Stanley’s (played by Jake Dunn) seemingly happy life is turned upside-down by the arrival of Blanche, and even the gentle and dependable Mitch (played by Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong) eventually reveals a not-so-chivalrous side! But it was the chemistry and relationship between Blanche and Stanley that held my attention from beginning to end: was it hate, distrust, or desire that drove their connection?
The use of costumes and dressing/undressing was an interesting and powerful aspect of the play – maybe symbolising the way we use clothes to project a particular image of ourselves – or just one more layer that peels away when our lives unravel?
Tennessee’s original conception of A Streetcar Named Desire features the sound of piano playing, intended to provide musical motifs to accompany, highlight or juxtapose the action or reflect the emotions of the characters – particularly those of Blanche. In this Sheffield Theatres production, the piano and its player was also visually represented. This was an aspect of the play that my companion and I disagreed about. I really liked the ‘corner-of-the eye’ action around the piano that set me on edge at times – but my friend found these a distraction. I suspect the rest of the audience were equally divided.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing this iconic play; sometimes funny, sometimes overwhelming, sometimes disturbing. For me, it felt like I’d been plastered to the wall of a centrifuge with all this ‘falling apart’ going on as spun around – horrified by what I was experiencing – but unable to peel my eyes away.
Rating: 4/5
Tickets: £15 – £43
Dates: 1st March – 29th March with a range of audio described, captioned, signed and relaxed performances throughout the run.
Remaining shows are bookable here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk