Steetcar named desire

Question 1

Production information Streetcar named desire

Answer 1

• National Theatre
• 2014
• Designer - Magda Willi
• Director - Benedict Andrews

Question 2

Set design

Answer 2

• Expressionaistic set
• The production is done In the round
• Has a rovolving stage, which is used in a expressionistic manner
• The Apartment is made up of a skeletal frame - This expressionistic set Exposes characters vulnerublilities and Removes barriers between private life and public view
• Magda Willi Describes the set as a “X - Ray like set”
• Ikea like furniture and bland white colours of appartnment suggests the Financial background of Kowalaski

Question 3

Moment For Set design (I’ve got to keep hold of myself)

Answer 3

• Blanche is beggining to lose touch with reality
• Stage start spinning - symbolic of her mental instability
• Stage spins at a slow speed which intensifies Blanches sense of losing control
• The Skeletal walls emphesises Blanches vulnerability during this scene

Shows Williams concerns with mental Fragility

Question 4

Moment for Acting ( When she takes Mitch back home)

Answer 4

• Gillian Anderson using slured speach when speaking French - Shows she is drunk but also the accent
• Pitch changes mid sentance - ‘Vous/ moi’
• GA is swaying from side to side - shows how the drinks are making her imballenced - also stage is revolving so helps audience see from her perspective
• She speaks with a loud volume - show her lack of awareness - also created a comical effect on the audience
• Voice - Very Breathy (out of breath) adn fast pace - shows how she is trying to fill all silences up with her words - a deeper insecurity

Question 5

Directing (When Blanche enteres through the audience)

Answer 5

• Blanche ennteres through the audience
• She does a full loop of the stage
• This forces the audince into close proxemics, and we immedietly scrutinise her
  All of this highlights the underlying theme of scrutany
• The naturlistic movements Blends with the sylised staging showing blanches fagillity and purformce
• Eunice is placed above Blanche (sitting on staircase) the differnce in levels shows how blanche is burdened and intimidated
• Blanche orders Eunice to come down - shows how she is used to being able to ordering people around

Question 6

Lighiting moment ( Blanche has just taken Mitch back home from their day)

Answer 6

• cool wash lights from a light blue gel - this creates an intimate mood however is affective in creating still awkward moments and a slighlty surreal feel - emphesises blanches need to stay mysterious and in control
• low intensity of lighting - dim lighting - one practicle light - creates a more intimate atmosphere
• use of shadows dominate much of stage - creates sense of secrecy, discomfort and hiding the truth
• The cool lighting is effective in isolating blanche even in her own attempts at suduction

Question 7

Sound (Blanche and Stanley get into argument after Blanches birthday)

Answer 7

• a low pitch, omnious drone underpins the entire scene - the drone creates an overwhealming feel of threat throughout the scene
• The drone gradually intensifies in volume as Stanley continues to pressure Stella
• Faite fragmented piano notes - representive of Blanches fragille psychological state - as though her internal thoughts are bleeding into the atmosphere
• The discoordinate notes - we get a sense that something is off