National Theatre Live: A Streetcar Named Desire (2014)

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   Siskoid

   National Theatre Live's presentation of A Streetcar Named Desire plays out on a continually spinning stage that I suppose is meant to put you in Blanche's headspace, but I have difficulty imagining it was pleasant for the actors (who must have been off-balance even when they stepped off) or the live audience. On screen, the sets and characters kept drifting and though Stanley and Stella's apartment has no walls, it seemed impossible to film without various beams getting in the way of faces. Ignoring that particular design choice, this is really about Gillian Anderson giving a powerhouse performance as that avatar of the Decaying South, Blanch DuBois, a drama queen fueled by tragedy and alcohol, whose secrets come back to haunt and destroy her. I will admit it is impossible to forget the 1951 film classic when watching ANY performance of Streetcar, but live on stage, there are moments that feel more violent and visceral for playing out without the safety net of movie magic. Nevertheless, one tends to compare, and rarely in the positive. Ben Foster's Stanley has his moments, but isn't a sexual threat until suddenly he is, and Vanessa Kirby's Southern accent is all over the place. I want to give props to Corey Johnson, who is excellent as Mitch, I thought. An American working in the UK, he's a recognizable face from innumerable British productions that need to supplement their cast with legitimate accents, but he's rarely gotten such a strong role. He and Anderson are unimpeachable. 3 years 11 months ago

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