A Streetcar Named Desire – Smock Alley – Review

Dates: 5 – 21 Dec 2024 @ 7pm, 14 & 21 Dec @ 2pm – Main Space

At the start of this tale, Blanche DuBois (Eavan Gaffney) arrives unexpectedly at the home of her sister Stella (Sade Malone). It is a two-room apartment in an unfashionable part of town, the French Quarter of New Orleans, and Blanche seems quite surprised by the modest accommodation. Stella lives there with her husband Stanley Kowalski (Jack Meade). Despite their limited resources, Stan and Stella are very much in love. The two sisters grew up in the beautiful surroundings of a plantation called Belle Reve, but Blanche arrives with news that the house is no longer in their possession! Slowly over the course of the play, we hear details of Blanche’s life since the two sisters last met.

A Streetcar Named Desire premiered on December 3rd, 1947 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City and starred a largely unknown actor called Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski. The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. It is considered one of Tennessee Williams’ finest works with complex characters which present a challenge for any cast or director to explore. This is a new production directed by Cathal Cleary, who recently directed the site-specific play Blue Thunder at the Dublin Fringe Festival. He has also directed work for Druid Theatre and the Abbey Theatre as part of his considerable back catalogue.

This production has a few unusual casting decisions. While the notes in the script state that Stella is ‘about twenty-five’ and Blanche is ‘five years older’ which is close to the real age of the performers, they do feel quite young for the parts. There are discussions on Blanche’s age, which feel strange about someone as fresh-faced as Eavan Gaffney. The part is generally reserved for older actors. Having said that, Gaffney is very impressive in the role and shows the intensity, fragility and vulnerability required for the iconic part.

The play is performed with a minimal set, on a raised black platform in the centre of the space used for Stan and Stella’s living room. There are utilitarian chairs and other items lifted around the set, but less is definitely more. The production focuses on the acting and that is the production’s greatest asset.

The play is recommended for audiences aged 14+ and also comes with a warning about themes of “mental illness and sexual violence”, so if you’re looking for something to bring the full family to this Christmas, look elsewhere. This is an impressive production of a modern classic that is rarely performed in Ireland. There is a sense of style about the production, with intense and visceral performances along with the raw emotion of the original text.

WRITTEN BY Tennessee Williams
DIRECTED BY Cathal Cleary

CAST: Loré Adewusi, Stephanie Dufresne, Tishé Fatunbi, Darragh Feehely, Eavan Gaffney, Morgan C Jones, Sean Landau, Sade Malone, Jack Meade, Kristian Phillips

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER Maree Kearns
LIGHTING DESIGNER Stephen Dodd
COMPOSITION, SOUND & AV DESIGNER Jack Baxter
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Ursula McGinn
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Stephanie Dufresne
PRODUCER Cally Shine, Once Off Productions
PRODUCTION MANAGER Brendan McLoughlin, Showscope
STAGE MANAGER Zoe Reynolds
COMPANY MANAGER Morgan Steele, Once Off Productions
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Charlotte Wilson
COSTUME SUPERVISOR Maisey Lorimer
CHIEF LX Eoin Winning
HAIR & MAKE UP Tee Elliot
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER Ciarán O’Grady
DIALECT COACH Annie Gill
GRAPHIC DESIGN BY A Worthy Cause, Original Image sourced by Francis Dot