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This is one of those Modern Classics that is recognizable with one word: Streetcar. That single word conjures up images of the flowery Blanche, the brutal Stanley, and the passion-torn Stella. Re-mounting a classic is a tricky thing. You don't want to re-do what has already been done, but you don't want to tinker with a masterpiece. The best bet is a cozy balance between the two. Director Michael Mitchell has definitely brought his own touches to this wonderful play about reality versus illusion, but has retained enough of the original to make the show appear to be wonderful. Mr. Mitchell, though, while meticulously recreating the French Quarter of New Orleans in visuals and attitudes, has made a major misstep: he's dreadfully miscast two of the three most important leads. The result is a beautiful looking production awkwardly balanced on the miscast shoulders of Michael Berry's Stanley and Sally Jo Bannow's Blanche, a painful situation.
Mr. Mitchell has taken the greatly talented Ms. Bannow from her comfortably familiar comedic and musical surroundings, and wedged her into a role that requires, even demands, a very particular type of actress, one that Ms. Bannow, unfortunately, is not. Ms. Bannow's Blanche is a silly, shrilly high-pitched will-o-the-wisp that flutters about in a caricature-ish way and lacks significant shading to her character. She tips her hand about her delicate mental condition through pretentious bits of filmic musical effects long before an unsuspecting audience member would gather, giving her no place to go but over the top. It is a ride the audience should not want to share.
Mr. Berry has a different problem. While he looks and sounds the role, his interpretation of Stanley is much less bestial, much more measured and surprisingly intelligent than this role calls for. Stanley's explosions seem to come from nowhere, and are almost comedic in their quick intensity and sudden disappearance. Mr. Berry's Stanley lacks the caginess that makes this two room apartment bristle with tension. Plus, this Stanley plays at his sexiness rather than just being instinctively sexy, looking more like a Calvin Klein ad than an animal. Ultimately, there is no visceral connection between Ms. Bannow and Mr. Berry. And, Mr. Mitchell, Ms. Bannow and Mr. Berry are all responsible for the horrible presentation of the climactic rape scene, which has two drunks fumbling around more than two adversaries reaching their logical end.
Beyond these problems, and some bits of pretentiousness with scene change business, the show has a wonderful supporting cast and Blanche. Martha Slater's interpretation of Blanche's passionate younger sister is dead-on, and she winds up becoming the center of the show much more than she should because of it, though through no fault of her own. Scott Johnson does a commendable job as Mitch, the mama's boy who represents Blanche's last chance at redemption. His hesitations and stumblings are perfectly blended, and utterly real. As upstairs neighbors Steve and Eunice Hubbell, Matthew Mazuroski and Terey Summers are completely in the moment, and a joy to watch. The same goes for the rest of the ensemble, who make commentary or create atmosphere as well as any classic will allow.
Jeff Thomson's scene design gave great hopes before the show started. It's balanced use of realistic and presentational pegged the director's intention. Paul Black's lighting and sound were also creatively balanced. Elizabeth Ihlenfeld's costumes were also solid, and captured character well. Daniel A. Kurek's superfluous music was good, even as it made the show into a mediocre teleplay rather than a theatre production.
With the right two people in the two most important roles, this show could easily have been the best of this season at Phoenix Theatre. Instead, the audience is left with stirring visions of Tennessee Williams' world, and images of what might have been. Despite my greatest hopes for this production, this is one Streetcar I wish I'd missed.
Production Details:
A Street Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix
254-2151
May 14th-May 31st, 1998
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