A Streetcar Named Desire

[Phantom of London]

It has been absolutely years since this has been done in the West End. Are we not overdue another Streetcar?

Tennessee Williams’ is a great playwright for female characters, so great casting here could be a big box office draw, as was Senna Miller in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?

[mrbarnaby]

Sept 18, 2021 17:31:23 GMT Phantom of London said:

It has been absolutely years since this has been done in the West End. Are we not overdue another Streetcar?

Tennessee Williams’ is a great playwright for female characters, so great casting here could be a big box office draw, as was Senna Miller in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?

Are you forgetting the unforgettable Young Vic production? Not west end- but London and very high profile.

As someone else said- Amy Adam’s would make a fabulous Blanche

[Phantom of London]

No not forgetting that one as I saw it with Gillian Anderson. That was in 2014 if you can believe it and was the fastest selling show in Young Vic history, which is a problem if cannot get a ticket.

[Someone in a tree]

Seen it twice, once with Glen Close's understudy and then yonks later with Gillian Anderson. Both times I was bored senseless as it just goes on and on . I like the film, that's much shorter.

[BurlyBeaR]

The REX production with Maxine Peake and a set consisting of a door frame and a blanket in the floor was a bit heavy going too. You need a right hottie as Stanley to keep the interest.

[marob]

Sept 19, 2021 8:23:32 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

The REX production with Maxine Peake and a set consisting of a door frame and a blanket in the floor was a bit heavy going too. You need a right hottie as Stanley to keep the interest.

Well they did have Ben Batt, giving some of the punters an early preview of his lengthy (ahem) nude scene in Woyzeck at the Old Vic.

I think it’s a pretty common problem with plays from around that time though, three acts but with very little plot and a leisurely pace.

[Jon]

I imagine another production of Streetcar will happen within a few years.

I’d personally like to see Oh Streetcar! done for real!

[Phantom of London]

I was looking at the Wiki page for this and as mentioned up thread you had the Trevor Nunn’s National production with Glenn Close, I image this would have been a very hot ticket. Then a Donmar Warehouse production with Rachel Weisz, she is a name and the Donmar is small, so I imagine this would have sold out quickly. This being with the Young Vic production with Gillian Anderson that sold out very quickly in record time. All those productions are in the subsidised sector and had big names playing an iconic role in arguably small venues.

I have not seen this revived in the West End however, so not sure if it has been done?

I did see the REX production and enjoyed it.

[Phantom of London]

I was looking at the Wiki page for this and as mentioned up thread you had the Trevor Nunn’s National production with Glenn Close, I image this would have been a very hot ticket. Then a Donmar Warehouse production with Rachel Weisz, she is a name and the Donmar is small, so I imagine this would have sold out quickly. This being with the Young Vic production with Gillian Anderson that sold out very quickly in record time. All those productions are in the subsidised sector and had big names playing an iconic role in arguably small venues.

I have not seen this revived in the West End however, so not sure if it has been done?

I did see the REX production and enjoyed it.

[couldileaveyou]

I think the last West End revival was the one with Jessica Tandy in 1996?

[couldileaveyou]

Sept 19, 2021 13:36:52 GMT kit66 said:

PS I think you mean Jessica Lange not Tandy (who was the original Blanche Du Bois in the 40s but missed out on the movie to Vivian Leigh.)

Yeah thanks! I was listening to this, that's why I mixed the names up 😅

[schuttep]

I love this play and have seen it several times including the Young Vic Gillian Anderson - continuously revolving stage - production.

"I have always...on the....of strangers. Enough said.

Would welcome another one.

[Phantom of London]

Sept 19, 2021 13:25:13 GMT couldileaveyou said:

I think the last West End revival was the one with Jessica Tandy in 1996?

Interesting that one isn’t list on Wiki, however 25 years is a long time for the West End not to have a Streetcar, considering in that 25 year’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof has been 3 times.

[sph]

Sept 19, 2021 13:25:13 GMT couldileaveyou said:

I think the last West End revival was the one with Jessica Tandy in 1996?

Her performance was a little stiff. Understandable given that she died in 1994.

[vickyg]

I've only seen one version of Streetcar, the 2014 Young Vic one. At that time I had never had a theatre experience at that level of intensity and I was shaking when I left. Very narrow minded, I know, but I really feel I never need to see another version! That's all I need!

[callum]

Yes it’s odd that Amy Adams chose Amanda as her Williams grand dame rather than Blanche, considering she’s only got a few more years to realistically do Blanche whereas Amanda can be done by actresses up to they’re in their 70s…

[mrbarnaby]

Sept 20, 2021 8:44:08 GMT vickyg said:

I've only seen one version of Streetcar, the 2014 Young Vic one. At that time I had never had a theatre experience at that level of intensity and I was shaking when I left. Very narrow minded, I know, but I really feel I never need to see another version! That's all I need!

I agree. Gillian Anderson’s performance will take some beating. The only other person who i wish I’d seen play the role is Cate Blanchett who was meant to be sensational

[barrowside]

Lia Williams was an extraordinary Blanche at the Dublin Gate a few years ago. I've never seen anything like her. She reduced the audience to floods of tears. The row I was in started to shake when she rejected Mitch. I was surprised Sonia Friedman didn't take it to London. It was around just before the time of the Young Vic production so maybe the rights were sown up.

[vickyg]

Sept 20, 2021 21:42:02 GMT barrowside said:

Lia Williams was an extraordinary Blanche at the Dublin Gate a few years ago. I've never seen anything like her. She reduced the audience to floods of tears. The row I was in started to shake when she rejected Mitch. I was surprised Sonia Friedman didn't take it to London. It was around just before the time of the Young Vic production so maybe the rights were sown up.

Okay Lia Williams would 100% persuade me to go again. She’s incredible.

[Deleted]

I loved the Rachel Weisz one at the Donmar a decade or so ago.

[barrowside]

I also saw Frances McDormand as Blanche but it wasn't quite right. She wasn't fragile enough and her stagecraft was rusty (some fluffed lines etc.) I do love her on film though.

[mrbarnaby]

Would also love to see Jessica Chastain as Blanche

[scarpia]

Sept 19, 2021 12:03:35 GMT Phantom of London said:

I was looking at the Wiki page for this and as mentioned up thread you had the Trevor Nunn’s National production with Glenn Close, I image this would have been a very hot ticket. Then a Donmar Warehouse production with Rachel Weisz, she is a name and the Donmar is small, so I imagine this would have sold out quickly. This being with the Young Vic production with Gillian Anderson that sold out very quickly in record time. All those productions are in the subsidised sector and had big names playing an iconic role in arguably small venues.

I have not seen this revived in the West End however, so not sure if it has been done?

I did see the REX production and enjoyed it.

The National and Donmar ones (both excellent) were within fairly quick succession...and then, with the exception of the Young Vic one, London hasn't seemed interested in this play. I think we've had more Cats and Menageries recently. I feel like I only just saw The Glass Menagerie so I haven't really got interest in seeing yet another one so soon.

[Phantom of London]

The last Glass Menagerie was done at the Duke of York Theatre of the excellent Broadway transfer, that was a treat in 2017 that wasn’t too long ago.

Tennessee Williams’ wrote great roles for ladies. However as pointed out we haven’t had a West End production for years and the three productions done on the subsidised theatre were done by Trevor Nunn, Rob Ashford and Benedict Andrews, who also directed the Apollo theatre (Young Vic Production) of A Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, all 3 of those directors are men and bear in mind I said that Tennessee Williams’ wrote great female parts, it would be great to see a female director tackle this and see if they can see something different to elevate the piece.

I wonder if Marianne Elliott has room in her diary after Cock!

I know that Sarah Frankhom directed the REX production.

[Jon]

Sept 24, 2021 20:20:28 GMT @kevinuk said:

I was trying to think of someone closer to who could play Blanche. Natalie Dormer? She might be a tad young, but I’d be very keen to see Jodie Comer as Blanche.

Jodie Comer seems more of a Stella than a Blanche.

In terms of Tennessee Williams play, The Rose Tattoo hasn't been revived in a while so that'd be a good one to put one either commercially or in the subsidised theatres.