They've dropped the "Kowalski" from Stanley's name in new Streetcar revival — Page 8

henrik, there is usually a reason why the curtain falls when it does. Per Aristotle, it is because every notable thing that is going to happen has happened. (Let's set aside the issue of Greek trilogies for the moment.)

Yes, of course, where there is life there is hope, as the saying goes, and any tragic agent left to live at the curtain may be imagined to win the lottery on the morrow.

But to sit and imagine unwritten reversals of fortune for tragic agents is to try to rewrite tragedy as comedy. Why do you want to do that?

If one believes Blanche is only to be confined under the Baker Act for 72 hours and then released into the loving arms (and open wallet) of Shep Huntley, then her stay with the Kowalskis was just a brief episode not really worthy of my time and attention.

But even a cursory understanding of state mental institutions in the South in the 40s and 50s (and let's don't pretend her loving brother-in-law is paying for a private sanitarium) suggests a great deal of horror lies in Blanche's future. And, no, indigent persons without family sponsorship did not get out of such places easily. That's why our laws were rewritten to make it so difficult to confine even people who need it.

I absolutely agree that an actress playing Blanche should exit triumphantly with the doctor, her exit line left half unspoken: "Whoever you are--I have always depended on the kindness of strangers (because my family members treat me like crap)!" Of course, Blanche-the-romantic believes salvation is always just around the corner.

But for us to believe the same is to deny everything that has happened in the three hours preceding. So why attend STREETCAR at all? We can always go see HELLO, DOLLY! or MAME or any other musical comedy that pretends life is kind to middle-aged spinsters.

12 Year Old STREETCAR

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Mississippi Williams had been hired (briefly) to work on the screenplay for the original FRANKENSTEIN. Supposedly, his working title was BORIS PARA LOS MUERTOS.

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Originally, his adaptation of THE MATCHMAKER ended on a sad note- HORACE PARA LOS MUERTOS. His early work on LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (DORIS PARA LOS MUERTOS) didn't make it past development stage, either.

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Updated On: 4/10/12 at 08:49 PM

Of course, the children were driven to murder and cannibalism when Sebastian taunted them with the song, "On The Street, Where You Live".

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I saw it tonight. It's a solid production, but it's nothing amazing. I thought the three leads were excellent. Especially Parker and Underwood, who really, really surprised me. After the last production of STREETCAR I saw (BAM's absolutely flawless production with Cate Blanchett), anything was going to pale in comparison. It's good, but nothing near the brilliance that was the BAM production.

But, briefly, on to the audience. This was probably the worst audience I've ever had the displeasure of sitting with. Who knew STREETCAR was a comedy? Seriously, 90% of the audience I sat with needed some serious etiquette lessons. Apparently, rape is HILARIOUS to some people. They came thisclose to ruining the evening for me altogether.

While its not exactly a comedy, Its been mentioned before (probably somewhere in this thread) but it is worth remembering that there is a lot of intended humour in STREETCAR. I don't think Williams intended us to laugh during the rape scene, but he did intend for us to laugh at a great deal.

Jack Lemmon, who saw the original production of STREETCAR about a dozen times, once said in an interview that he clocked the laughs in STREETCAR and there were more per minute than any other show on Broadway.

I loved the production at BAM but would argue that it played up the pathos of the material a little bit too much.

I don't think one can deny that Blanche is actually quite witty for much of the first half of the play. But when she is haunted, she is haunted. And when she is physically attacked...

And the fighting of the upstairs neighbors is often funny, as are the poker games.

Just like real life.

An ideal audience will move with the shifting moods of the play.

I think the same may be said of VIRGINIA WOOLF and found Albee's attempts to "prove" the play a comedy when he directed it unnecessary.