A Streetcar Named Desire, Crucible Theatre Review
A Streetcar Named Desire production image. Photo by Marc Brenner
Written by Kirsty for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Josh Seymour has given us a new and vibrant version of the Tennesse Williams classic story of love, loss, and ultimate betrayal. Seymour has set this revival in a period appropriate style, which sets this version apart from any other recent revival of this American classic.
Joanne Vanderham is truly mesmerising as Blanche DuBois, the shamed and down on her luck Southern Belle. She portrays Blanche as a truly well-rounded and multi-faceted character who truly believes her own delusions of grandeur in the face of secrets being revealed with a catastrophic and heartbreaking denouement of the play. Vanderham effortlessly commands the stage and her scenes with Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong’s emotionally vulnerable Mitch are beautiful and heartbreaking in equal measure. Vanderham is on stage throughout the play and her performance never wavers, and takes the audience on a whistlestop tour of madness, and shame.
Amara Okereke plays Stella, the sister with whom Blanche seeks refuge, and Okereke plays her with a strength which is not often seen in the character of Stella. She holds her own against Jake Dunn’s mercurial Stanley throughout, but she also stands up to Blanche when needed. Vanderham and Okereke held the full attention of the audience throughout and their relationship felt real and full of heart and emotion.
Frankie Bradshaw’s design is seamless and effortless, and the clever use of the stage revolve gives the piece an energy and movement that adds an extra element to Blanche’s frenetic descent from grace to madness.
The themes of A Streetcar Named Desire are timeless regardless of the play being set in 1940s New Orleans and undoubtedly they are hard themes to watch and contend with. Seymour does not shy away from any of them, and Jack Ofrecio plays Alan who is a huge part of Blanche’s emotional descent, however, he also acts to remind the audience that Blanche is as much of a predator and emotional manipulator as Stanley, the man she instantly hates. The idea of a female sexual predator is not something that is often discussed today, so the reminder that Tennessee Williams included this as a major theme is a reminder of what a clever and relevant Williams was and should still be.
The closing scenes of the play were truly heart wrenching with Vanderham and Okereke holding the audience in the palm of their hands, and we see that Blanche has fully descended into delusion and madness following the exposure of her disgrace and Stanley’s assault. Her delivery of the iconic line of the play shows complete submission and we realise that the brash and loud Southern Belle we met has long disappeared and we are left with only her vulnerability and fear.
This production reminds us that the themes within A Streetcar Named Desire are still as relevant today as they ever were. It was a powerful, and stunning production and hopefully this will not be the last time we see this revival.
At Crucible Theatre, Sheffield until 29 March 2025
★★★★★
