Walnut's "Streetcar Named Desire' (2nd review)

If you never heard "Stella!" howled on stage by a hunk who thinks only of gratifying his base desires, then get yourself to the Walnut Street Theatre for the new production of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire.

Yes, Streetcar is dated (first performed in 1947 at this same theater). But so is Shakespeare, and what does it matter? This is a story of cultural clashes, cherished illusions of family and addictive personalities that might seem too familiar to many of us.

Streetcar was written amid the social upheaval that followed World War II, and it presents just one of the multitude of family dramas that played out across the U.S. at a time when social boundaries were falling and tension lurked everywhere. In New Orleans, a city seemingly built on dreams, Stella's older sister, Blanche DuBois, arrives earlier than expected for a visit that's actually a last resort. She has lost her job, the family house and land and has only her delusions of social position as armor against her harsh reality. To make matters worse, she's never met her sister's loutish husband Stanley.

Streetcar is about what happens to human beings that can't be foreseen. It earned Tennessee Williams a Pulitzer Prize, followed by a popular film. It's a tough act to follow in more ways than one: Imagine trying to compete with Marlon Brando and his feline sexuality?

Directed by Malcolm Black, with staging and lighting by Paul Wonsek, the Walnut's revival captures the ambiance of New Orleans in the summer heat. Susan Riley Stevens shines as Blanche, capturing the mannerisms of someone refusing to admit facts she cannot face, existing only on the unreality of dreams.

Unfortunately, Sandra Struthers doesn't seem to inhabit the part of Stella. She lacks the sensual, earthy quality that's necessary to explain her life decisions. Jeffrey Coon plays Stanley Kowalski as a loudmouthed brute with little concern for anyone else. Marlon Brando in his undershirt would be a challenge for any actor but as Coon begins to relax a bit in the coming weeks and throw less crockery, his appeal will surge.

I loved the street traffic in front of the stage curtain depicting the building's façade plus the real staircase. Here musicians, panhandlers, hookers, flower vendors, street singers and those with other less reputable activities embellish the urban atmosphere. The Kowalskis' friends and neighbors were believable in every aspect. Grace Gonglewski, as Eunice (who lives upstairs), and Scott Greer (as Blanche's suitor, Mitch) were complete individuals. We've all met their counterparts.

A Streetcar Named Desire changed the course of American drama by setting a new standard of bare truths uttered by people familiar to us all. Don't miss this excellent production of a timeless drama.



To read another review by Dan Rottenberg, click here.
To read another review by Steve Cohen, click here.