Blanchett’s Blanche: A Rave
Having seen Cate Blanchett’s mannered performance in “Hedda Gabler,” I’m extremely dubious about this rave for her Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” No doubt the production will be a hit when it moves from Sydney to Washington, D.C. and New York later in the year. I live to be proven wrong. Why is it that the best-received Blanches are never American? There’s been Jessica Tandy (original stage production), Vivien Leigh (the movie), and now Blanchett in Sydney and Rachel Weisz in the current “Streetcar” in London.
You live to be proven wrong, or you just need to get over your hang up with Blanchett. She is tremendous as Blanche & gives a knock-out-of-the-park performance no one in their RIGHT MIND could find issue with. It is a bit lavish and OTT in the beginning and she plays her quite comically (which makes the 2 hours plus fly by w/ enjoyment), but when the downward spiral begins and she reveals this intense, emotional depth your jaw will be on the floor. It’s superbly played and I felt she completely steals the show from Joel & Robin. Overall, excellent show–brilliant performance from Blanchett, supporting cast holds their own, set is dramatically focused without any typical lavish New Orleanian frills you’d might expect, & direction from Liv proves to be sensitive and poignant. Highly recommend everyone witnesses this!