Originally a play written 65 years ago this year by Tennessee Williams (and later brought to moviescreens starring Marlon Brando and Vivian Leigh), Scottish Ballet presented their vibrant new take on Streetcar Named Desire, collaborating with theatre and film director Nancy Meckler and international choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to create a powerful infusion of drama and dance.
I almost have no words for how incredible and how much of a must see this performance is. It tells a tragic tale of Southern Belle, Blanche DuBois tackling her plight and fall into despair, anguish and ultimately mental illness. We are given a glimpse of her wounded past which continues to haunt her and lead her to a situation of distress and suffering which is only heightened when she goes to stay with her sister, Stella and her brutish husband, Stanley.
The opening scene is still what sticks with me the most, Blanche underneath a naked lightbulb, delicately fluttering with moth like movements toward the light. The light was to represent desire, which attracts but can also burn but there was just something about the movements of Eve Mutso's Blanche that was haunting, sensitive and instantly gave an insight into the mental fragility of the character.
The performance is provocative, deep and highly sexed to say the least - whether it was the cruel but needy physical passion between Stella and Stanley (played by Tama Barry) to the debauched and reckless secret life of Blanche. Blanche's demise eventually comes when Stanley, who has set out to destroy her in a bid to have Stella to himself, engages in a dramatic, shocking and emotional performance depicting her rape. In a strong and visually shocking performance, it takes the audience to that dark place of helplessness and all of a sudden you are lost in raw emotion for all characters involved.
For as dark as the performance could be at times, there was still plenty of buzz, beauty and effervescence in abundance on stage. The score by Peter Salem did a wonderful job of representing a jazzy New Orleans and even at times got a little 'dancey' (as my husband described it ... as in disco dancey!). As ever the fashions of the 40's/50's on stage left me salivating for more. The Scottish Ballet wardrobe must be a fabulous place to be!
Seriously, watch the trailer, you will not be disappointed and you will want to see more!
Out of all of the Scottish Ballet productions I have seen to date, this really has to be my favourite. It was just all manners of mesmerising and wonderful!
I honestly cannot recommend it enough. If you are interested in going to see it, the venues and dates are as follows:
Theatre Royal, Glasgow
11 - 14 April 2012
Tickets from £10
Box Office 0844 871 7647*
11 - 14 April 2012
Tickets from £10
Box Office 0844 871 7647*
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
18 - 21 April 2012
Tickets from £16.50
Box Office 0131 529 6000*
18 - 21 April 2012
Tickets from £16.50
Box Office 0131 529 6000*
Sadler's Wells, London
26 - 28 April 2012
Tickets from £12
Box Office 0844 412 4300*
26 - 28 April 2012
Tickets from £12
Box Office 0844 412 4300*
His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
2 - 5 May 2012
Tickets from £13.50
Box Office 01224 641122*
2 - 5 May 2012
Tickets from £13.50
Box Office 01224 641122*
Eden Court, Inverness
9 - 12 May 2012
Tickets from £17
Box Office 01463 234 234*
9 - 12 May 2012
Tickets from £17
Box Office 01463 234 234*
Grand Opera House, Belfast
16 - 19 May 2012
Tickets from £9.25
Box Office 028 9024 1919*
16 - 19 May 2012
Tickets from £9.25
Box Office 028 9024 1919*
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