Friday, August 22, 2008

Theater review: A Streetcar Named Desire

By John Mallory Land of North Dallas Gazette

Some theater companies feel compelled to update a classic in order to make it more “relevant” and “accessible” to today’s audience. However, the hallmark of any classic is that—if done well—it will entertain us, tug at our heartstrings, and prod us to contemplate deeper matters through themes that are very specific to the time and place of the story, yet universal.

The Contemporary Theatre of Dallas’ current rendition of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire shows us why this gem became a classic by skillfully bringing the play to life in all its vintage glory. Set in post-World War II New Orleans, the atmosphere is sultry: the humid heat oppressive, the living rough-edged and unrefined, the lust palpable.

Insightfully directed by René Moreno, the cast deftly breathes life into the iconic characters that have become embedded in our cultural heritage. The ambiance of the Elysian Fields neighborhood near the French Quarter roils, lively and tempestuous, with the raucous, fickle relationship of upstairs neighbors Eunice (Marianne Galloway) and Steve Hubbell (John Venable).

The marriage between Stella Kowalski (Jessica Wiggers) and Stanley Kowalski (Clay Yocum) is propelled by young love and animal attraction, punctuated by Stanley’s violent outbursts. Into the scene stumbles Stella’s sister, Blanche DuBois (Lydia Mackay), desperately seeking refuge from the spoiled, crumbling life she’s left behind in rural Mississippi. The dear but tense relationship between the sisters and the antipathy, laced with latent lust, between Blanche and her brother-in-law gradually seethe.

Amid the tumultuous domestic squabbles, the late-night card games — including Stanley’s poker buddy Pablo Gonzales (Thiago Martins) — the screeching alley cats and rattling streetcars, Blanche is haunted by the loss of the old plantation homeplace and her long-ago young husband. As she makes one last, desperate stab at finding true romance by courting Stanley’s war buddy, Harold “Mitch” Mitchell (Russell DeGrazier), we see each of them struggle with his own loneliness, anxious yet unable to connect and meet each other’s needs. Their awkward attempts are notably moving.

In a brief but highly charged turn, the Young Collector (Andrews Cope) is visibly shaken by his encounter with Blanche. Stella tries admirably to steer Blanche on a steady course while maintaining her own even keel as a wife and expectant mother. Yet, as Blanche retreats further and further into the empty comfort of her delusions, she is unable to escape the pain of the past or the inevitable confrontation with Stanley that will push her over the brink. The Flower Seller (Tippi Hunter) exudes an ominous foreboding that seems to spring from Blanche’s own dreading subconscious. The capable cast is rounded out by the Nurse (Nancy Sherrard) and the Doctor (Kyle May), who come to dourly escort Blanche to her destiny.

The technical elements combine to transport us to the languid, sexually charged New Orleans of the past. In particular, the exceptional sound design by Marco E. Salinas sets the mood and smooths over the scene changes with seductive jazz interludes. For those who are new to this remarkable work and for those who know and love its familiar allure, this is a production you won’t want to miss.

A Streetcar Named Desire continues through August 31. Tickets may be purchased online at www.contemporarytheatreofdallas.com or by calling 214-828-0094.

Guest Theater Reviewer John Mallory Land is a freelance writer based in Dallas.

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