A Streetcar Named Desire

I must have been meeting with lots of Tisch students… another RA Favorite Book… a play!  But this time the play is a classic, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire.  Enter Blanche DuBois into the home of her sister, Stella, and brother-in-law, Stanley.  Blanche has a sorted past, though she doesn’t share the real reason why she has abruptly arrived at their home, instead she tells them she was laid off from her teaching job.  The story is rooted in Blanche’s lies to try and find a way to move forward with her life by manipulating those around her.  Stanley, a blue collar simple minded man, will not fall for her sister-in-law’s lies and seeks to find the truth.  He fears that she will get in the way of he and Stella (whom is on the verge of having their baby), which she tries to do.  Blanche attempts to seduce Stanley’s friend Mitch after a poker game.  It seemingly works, but falls apart after Stanley shares the real history of Blanche.  This leads to one of the most spoken about abusive scenes of our time, where it is inferred that Stanley sexually assaults Blanche while his wife is giving birth to their child.  It doesn’t get better for Blanche when she has a mental break after all that has happened to her.  The synopsis I gave doesn’t really present the dramatic effect that the “live performance” offers its audience.  It is one of the most frightening and wrenching scenes I have experienced in a play.  This is a compelling drama that asks audience members to attempt to feel for Blanche, a woman who rips apart her sister’s family and marriage.  Hearing Stanley cry out for his wife is etched in your mind.  Williams is one of my favorite “realistic” dramatist.  He in many ways, is the father of the drama we watch on TV today.  Don’t read it, go and see this live if it comes to a theatre near you.  FYI- It is coming back to Broadway April 2016 with Gillian Anderson.