Review 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

Two of the most coveted roles of 20^th century drama are Stanley Kowalski and Blanche Dubois in Tennessee Williams Pulitzer prizewinning play A Streetcar Named Desire. It often happens in productions that one performance outshines the other, but in the staging by the Upper Canada Repertory Company currently on view at the Walmer Center director David Matheson ensues that both characters have moments to shine.

Michael Bradley's Stanley is complex characterization. He can be loud and bullying yet heartbreakingly vulnerable. Bradley's intense performance is one of the many revelations in this production. He does not try to copy any actors who have previously played the role, but instead gives us his own distinct interpretation.

As does Rochelle Douris playing Blanche. Often actresses show Blanche too close to The Edge right from the start. Here, Douris presents Blanche trying to put on a good front of being in control. It's a fascinating performance because as the play progresses we witness Blanche slowly losing her grip on reality.

Keeping pace with these two powerhouse performances is Zoe Sweet as Stella caught between her familial devotion to her sister and her passionate love for her husband. Sweet is indeed passionate as well as sexy, earthy, and tender.

Tenderness also underscores Rob McKee's compelling performance as Blanche's would-be suitor, Mitch. There are also sharply drawn performances by Marlene Matos-Jones as Eunice and Barrett Morrison as her husband Steve. 

The claustrophobically small stage that offers a perfect space to give us a candid view of the cramped one-bedroom apartment where these three characters reside. Matheson finds creative ways to not only give us glimpses of life outside the apartment but also very effectively uses crossovers between the scenes to avoid episodic breaks in the action.

The music cues are sometimes a little off, and the lighting isn't always as precise as it should be, but the performances more than compensate. This includes a brief scene in which Blanche flirts with a teen-aged paperboy. With one brief scene, the role is often done as a mere throwaway, but watch Jordan Dibe's bewildered expression as he leaves the stage. 

It is this attention to detail that makes this production so riveting. To be fair, Williams' play has lost none of its power over the past 60 years, but the performances on view here elevate it to its deserved classic status.

A Streetcar Named Desire continues at the Walmer Center Theatre, 188 Lowther Avenue until September 6. Performances are at 8 Wednesdays through Saturdays with a matinee each Saturday at 2.  For tickets visit www.shakespearerocks.com or call the box office at 905-450-2164.