By Shrey Bijlani

Tennessee Williams’ powerful tragedy A Streetcar Named Desire was brought to life on stage on 11 January 2023 at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, London. The play stars Paul Mescal as Stanley Kowalski, Patsy Ferran as Blanche DuBois, Francesca Knight as Stella Kowalski and is directed by Rebecca Frecknall.

Reflection of Mescal’s Characterisation of Stanley

A Streetcar Named Desire is Tennessee Williams’ comment on society, in particular, the tragedy of toxic masculinity and the effect it has on the surrounding characters. Paul Mescal employs an impulsive and vociferous Stanley to the extent which, many viewers believe, Brando did not in the original Broadway production. What particularly stands out is the predatory nature of the character, especially prevalent in the scene prior to Blanche’s rape; Mescal is on all fours looking up with an unnerving smile towards Blanche before striking. While Stanley can be thought of as the villain in the play, Mescal manages to capture the nuances of the character which make for an realistic and intimate audience experience. These nuisances enhance the raw and deeply lustful relationship between Stanley and Stella; this includes the scene following Stella’s beating, and most certainly in the final scene as Stanley cradles Stella as Blanche is led off by the doctor.

Analysing Ferran’s Interpretation of Blanche

Ferran is equally sensational in her interpretation of the declining Southern Belle, Blanche DuBois; the subtleties of her expression and the intimate nature of the production allow the audience to truly empathise with her, perhaps more so than in many contemporary performances. Ferran chooses to specifically exemplify Blanche’s descent into mental ill health and can be purposefully irregular in the pace of her reading to further the instability of her character. It can also be argued that Ferran’s Blanche is more erratic and harsher than Leigh’s, as demonstrated by the vast range of volume upon delivery and the incorporation of shrieks and laughter; Ferran performance is a genuine reflection of the states of Blanche’s mind over time.

Set:

It is agreeable amongst critics that Frecknall takes a bold decision to have a performance of this grandeur in the round. The stage is a simple square platform with a drain at the base of its perimeter. Frecknall strips away the noise and sweatiness of Louisiana, making for a performance which truly encapsulates themes of violence and desire. This way, Frecknall rids the stage of larger, more permanent props (which Williams would have included), enabling actors to move and interact freely just as their characters would. The minimalism of the small stage with no walls allows Stanley to be an omnipresent character; despite being absent from the scene, he still lurks beyond the stage perimeter.

Sound:

The use of sound greatly contributes to the emotional atmosphere surrounding the characters, in particular, Blanche; this makes it easy for those in the audience to track the gradual mental decline of the character. One such example is the drummer in the balcony of the theatre. At moments of psychological intensity, the sound of the drums gets louder and louder until the crash of a cymbal is heard, for example when Blanche screams in response to her spilling a drink on her dress. This means that what the audience would have first assumed to be non-diegetic sound (heard only by the audience) can be interpreted as diegetic within the mind of Blanche, enhancing the drama of the character.

1947 to 2023, Broadway to Islington:

It is important to consider the loyalty of this production to Williams’ carefully constructed directions in the playscript. Williams wrote the play specifically to be performed on end in Broadway in the late forties and early fifties. Because of directorial decisions, much of the ambience surrounding New Orleans is missing and the specific focus is cast more on the psychology of characters rather than the setting. Williams may have seen this as perhaps an unfaithful recreation of his original work, however, when reflecting on how the setting influences the characters as compared to the characters’ own history, most will agree that Frecknall makes an intelligent move, as to isolate the core themes of the play and the emotions of the characters. Despite the stark “nakedness” of the play and numerous deviations, from traditional stage configuration to the music, Frecknall stays loyal to Williams’ theatrical approach of the play whereby the story is more of a critical interpretation of today’s society conveyed through the characters as a form of dissent.

Upon reflection, this performance is undeniably successful in conveying the themes and ideas laid out by Williams more than a generation ago in an intimate and powerful way.