Presented by Next Stage Theatre Company
Tuesday 4th - Saturday 8th July 7:30pm
Matinee Saturday 8th July 2:00pm
Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece set in the jazz-soaked streets of New Orleans is a powerful and iconic portrayal of love, lust and loneliness.
The fragile Blanche comes to stay with her sister Stella and husband Stanley. Amazed at their frugal lifestyle and Stella's dependence on her chauvinistic husband, Blanche is seemingly unaware of the unsettling affect her presence has upon the couple.
Drawn like a moth to a flame Blanche is both attracted and repelled by Stanley. She watches as he and his friends play poker during the hot New Orleans nights, and Stella grows big with Stanley's child. But, in a city of winners and losers, it is Blanche who ultimately pays the highest stake of all.
Since its inception in 1994, Next Stage Theatre Company has achieved an enviable reputation for its interpretations of Tennessee Williams’ works. Don’t miss your chance to see this iconic American masterpiece, heralded as one of the “greatest plays of the twentieth century.”
Please note that this production will be touring to The Minack Theatre near Land’s End, Cornwall, August 6th - 10th 2023.
Review
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
performed by Next Stage Theatre Company
at The Mission Theatre, Bath 4/7/23
A request to review the definitive play by one of America's holy trinity of playwrights was not to be resisted, and I was not disappointed. On entering the auditorium, we were instantly transported to New Orleans. A zoned set was dressed in all the period details to evoke the environs of a tiny apartment in the French Quarter, including The Four Deuces bar, a glimmer of light in the post-war drabness. We could almost hear the Mississippi steam boats.
Costumes and props were spot-on, as were the lighting and sound effects which subtly and cleverly drew out the moods and themes. Scene segued seamlessly into scene, flowing like bourbon, with the excellent use of supporting cast members who didn't waste a moment of stage time bringing their talents to create an authentic atmosphere. Which brings me neatly onto the ace in the pack; the live band. So much better than recorded music, this lifted the production to another level and established the cultural milieu to perfection.
Isolation, desire, death, greed, loss, lust; the themes of this play have been explored by writers better qualified than I and were all explored through the performances. As Blanche breezed in, we sensed the old-world order of class and money clashing with the new societal structure. The actors had clearly spent time developing their characters in all their glorious ambiguity and contradiction, portraying the messiness of the human condition. It was at times difficult to watch, especially when the spectre of male violence raised its ugly head, and there were no punches pulled when that happened.
There were superb moments from everyone throughout; Blanche's vulnerability, Stella's pragmatism and Stanley's callousness to name but a few. Steve and Eunice mirrored the ways in which the uses and abuses in the complicated relationships between men and women play out. Mitch's rejection of Blanche was heartbreaking, leading us inevitably into the play's darkest and most brutal moment. The chemistry between the main players was palpable and the final scene was full of raw emotion as, through Blanche and Stella, we were confronted with the consequences of our decisions. When we cannot face reality, all we are left with are the lies we tell ourselves.
What a production; hotter than a tamale, cooler than a smoky basement jazz club. The working title of this play was The Poker Night, and in her cast and crew, Director Ann Ellison was dealt a winning hand which she played to perfection.
Rebecca Beard - Sardines Magazine
Audience Comments on the Bath Run (July 4th - 8th)
“The performance last week was superb, and I am sure it will be well received at the Minack. Even those unfamiliar with Tennessee Williams will be engaged as the interpretation (plot, costumes, generous and effective set(s), music and wonderful walk-on intermissions) so fully conveyed the stark tensions and clashes as the tragedy gradually emerged. It never became too heavy until that final scene - which shattered any hopes we may have had of reconciliation - as the bitter truth of poor Blanche was so dramatically exposed. Otherwise, it was as though many of the characters were totally oblivious to what was actually going on, and some managed to keep up a colourful and breezy(?) attitude to life to the bitter end. Sadistic irony, with which Alan Ayckbourn would likely be familiar . . . . ?!”
“As ever, the casting was 100%! The accents all well controlled and projected - I am sure the Minack system will work with it all. The adaptable music particularly complemented the action so faithfully, and there were moments when the sounds just emerged at precisely the point when emotions required that extra ironic or supportive background.” - Andrew Fletcher
“I'm so pleased that I was able to see the show after meeting and greeting. It was a very powerful production and I was totally engaged throughout. Congratulations to everyone involved and warm wishes for Minack.” - Stella Hurley
Rehearsal Photos
