Star rating - 10/10
The
latest play at the Royal Exchange is a fantastic archetypal one from Tennessee
Williams - all smouldering passions and pent up tensions in a 1940s Deep South
small town. A frustrated, lonely and
unhappy Lady Torrance has to live with her ailing elderly husband, whom she has
never loved, whilst she dwells on her unfulfilled dreams. Into town comes
sidling a young drifter with a snakeskin jacket and a guitar. And it proves of
course to be an irresistible, not to say combustible, combination.
Imogen
Stubbs is fabulous as Lady - the outsider who rebels against the small town
mentality of her fellow townsfolk. She last performed here in the brilliant Private Lives by Noel Coward, and in
both productions she shows just what acting royalty she is - pure class. Luke
Norris is also great as the young stranger who rides into town with a winning
smile and charismatic words.
As
with his other wonderful plays, such as A
Streetcar Named Desire, Cat On A Hot
Tin Roof, and The Glass
Menagerie, this lesser known Tennessee Williams gem is full of smouldering
tensions and prejudice, with its depiction of racism and intolerance of anyone
who does not conform. And as a lesser known work, it was a real pleasure not to
know the ending as the drama unfolded and the tension mounted - although it's
title alone gives a clue to a less than ecstatic ending. It's a complex,
brilliant play with many fascinating and absorbing themes, many of which
are sadly still as relevant today as when the play was written.
A
beautiful Blues guitar player accompanied many of the scene changes - a real
treat. Director Sarah Frankcom has triumphed again after her fabulous A View From the Bridge here in 2011.
This play is an absolute gem - tragic, passionate, and political. It is easily
the best thing I have seen at any theatre so far this year - it truly mesmerised
me, achieving as it does the holy trinity of wonderful writing, brilliant
direction, and fabulous, simply fabulous, performances.
