A Streetcar Named Desire

This fine ensemble, under the helm of director Jack Heller, faithfully recaptures the spirit of the play and essential truths of human relationships, tragically codependent and dysfunctional though they may be. I’d liken this production to a well-preserved jewel box that’s been tucked away in the attic and burnished to a brilliant sepia-toned hue.

The current production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is helmed by director Jack Heller. Joel Daavid’s scenic design is complex and impressive, with Derrick McDaniel’s lighting, Shon Le Blanc’s costumes, and Christopher Moscatiello’s sound maintaining a quietly desperate and often morose character to the story – made even more striking by the doleful whaling of blues at critical points in the drama. For those who are fans of Williams’s typically tragic tales, as well as for audiences who want to experience a complete Williams production, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE will more than fill the bill. This reviewer found the pace a bit slow and the characters’ intermittent explosive interludes a bit disconcerting after so many pauses and silences – all in all suggesting a degree of reverence for the famed playwright rather than the reality-based account he was probably aiming for.

Currently in production at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles, however, is a staging of Streetcar that comes to vibrant, tragic life before our eyes. Under the delicate direction of Jack Heller this revival of Streetcar is a pertinent and insightful case study in marriage and family relations. Not only is the phenomenon of spousal abuse put on view here, psychological fragility and personal desperation are also acutely explored in this intricate theatrical achievement.

At the Odyssey, a strong ensemble illustrates Streetcar Named Desire Williams’ post-war evocation of New Orleans’ French quarter. Streetcar brings a fragile Blanche Du Bois (Susan Priver) to sister’s doorstep in the quarter where Blanche’s gradual disintegration takes place. This production reinforces Tennessee Williams’ ability to reach beyond the day-to-day minutia of life to reach into the hearts of his characters. Among other joys, this rendition features a uniquely conceived characterization of Stanley by Max E. Williams. Also of note, find a down-to earth Stella (Melissa Sullivan), an equally practical upstairs neighbor, Eunice (Caroline O’Brien), and a suitably stalwart suitor, Mitch (Christopher Parker).

I am more than happy to report there is an excellent staging of Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, directed by Jack Heller as a visiting production at the Odyssey Theatre, presented by Dance On Productions in association with Linda Toliver and Gary Guidinger, that will allow you to forget how much time passes due to the skill of its playwright, understanding by its director, the brilliance of its cast, and most importantly, Joel Daavid's incredible multi-level scenic design which fills every possible inch of the stage with not only the two-room Kowalski apartment but also several outdoor spaces including a winding New Orleans-style wrought iron staircase leading up to their neighbor's front-door balcony. And from the moment I walked in and sat down, it was easy to hear all the audience accolades rightly being thrown Daavid's way.

Veteran director Jack Heller once again conjures a magical, dreamlike place where, seven decades ago, the world reeled as the greatest playwright of the last century bestowed on us all his lyrical, poetic dialogue and an uncanny ability to honor and to elevate to heroic stature the lost and less desirable denizens of our mess of a society. It was a groundbreaking moment in the history of theatre that changed the future of dramatic literature for all time to come and, for that reason if no other, this heartfelt production deserves our appreciation and attention.

But one misstep producing this complex full-evening play, and it can go from being a poetic, passionate, sensual, sexual experience to an over-the-top campy mess. Luckily, director Jack Heller and his top-notch cast — which includes a stunning Susan Priver as Blanche — make this guest production at the Odyssey one which would make Mr. Williams proud, and rightfully elucidates why this is his greatest work.

Director Jack Heller hones a classic, straightforward version of Streetcar. The play’s arc and tempo hit all the right notes, while the production design is appropriate and the acting ranges from decent to excellent...

Dance On’s production features a cast considerably more mature than the characters they portray, inevitably altering the play’s intended meaning and inadvertently creating a new and unintended narrative. The characters’ actions and behavior become a bit ridiculous rather than young, fiery and forgivable. It’s just not the play Williams intended.

At its most obvious, the play is about the decline of a woman’s mental state, but critics have said that it also represents the death of the aristocratic old South of the United States and the ascent of the working class. This means that you will go home with lots to think about. Look forward to an intense show; one that will hold your interest throughout.

Surely they know that with legendary figures such as Marlon Brando, Jessica Tandy, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, and others having literally defined their roles, that any revival can only compared in the minds of a mature audience. And the actors and director here actually gave homage, in part, to these figures, as well as the great original director of both the stage play and film Elia Kazan.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, thrilling theatre at its very best, one experiences vicariously a whole encyclopedia of feelings–desire, sexuality, secrecy, resentment, envy, disdain, yearning and more. The brilliantly loaded script in the hands of consummate stage artists, as is the case in this production now playing at the Odyssey Theatre, makes an audience lean forward to catch all the powerful passion as the sense of time disappears.

Director Jack Heller holds the reins on the often-explosive dynamics of the play, guiding the players with finesse to many moments that are searing or wistful or intimidating.