Pure passion

“A Streetcar Named Desire?” Yeah, saw the movie. Marlon Brando and Vivian Leigh were great.

Think I saw the play, too — maybe in high school. That’swhere Stanley does that “Stella” thing and there’s the bit about thatcrazy Blanche and the “kindness of strangers,” right? 

Right.

What do you do with a 64-year-old play that almosteveryone knows something about? A play that’s been described as thebest play of the 20th century, that’s won every award imaginable andthat’s had countless adaptations in film, opera, television and ballet?

Not to mention that when it first opened on Broadway onDec. 3, 1947, the audience sat in stunned silence before breaking intoa full 30 minutes of applause. 

Yes, what do you do?

Well, if you’re the Michigan State University Departmentof Theatre and if you’re the brilliant director Rob Roznowski, you makeit more physical — spectacularly more physical.

You also turn up the volume on the raw emotion, sex andviolence and you use the very youth of your talented student actors tobreathe new life into this story of death, desire and insanity whilenever compromising the power and beauty of Tennessee Williams’ words. 

You also throw in a spectacular set authenticallyfeaturing that famous New Orleans apartment, the bathtub, theneighbors’ apartment, the street and houses below and a catwalk whereappear the ghosts of Blanche’s past — all this visible to the audienceat all times.

You also add gorgeous, attention-to-detail costumes,lighting and sound that enhance the story line, and a stunning NewOrleans “jazz funeral” procession that adds splendor and drama to aproduction already rich in both of those elements.

Christina Traister, an MSU assistant professor of actingand voice, plays Blanche with more strength and anger than one mightexpect in such a fragile and delusional character. Blanche is desperateand destitute, hiding a sordid past and living in a fantasy world, butTraister gives her a seemingly inexhaustible will to survive.

In the end, however, she makes it clear that Blanche has lost her grip on reality.

In a new theater department experiment, Traister is thefirst MSU faculty member to be cast in a student production. This couldeasily have failed, but here teacher and students work seamlesslytogether.

This is particularly true of Traister’s scenes withCurran Jacobs as Stanley. Their conflict is at the center of this playand their interactions are nerve-shattering to watch. Jacobs looks thepart. He is handsome, he is muscular, he has animal magnetism.Rosnowski has his Stanley almost constantly in motion, and Jacobs leapsabout like a gold medal gymnast.

His characterization of Stanley is believably sex-driven,brutish and violent. In the end, the totality of his “deliberatecruelty” to others is not forgivable. And Jacobs can be assured thathis agonized version of the famous “S-t-e-l-l-a” scene is no imitationof Brando or anybody else.  It’s all his own, and memorably so.

Traister and Jacobs are also the fight directors for this production.  Choreographed with the precision of professional modern dance, the fight scenes are both frightening and beautiful to watch.

Graduate student Emily Young, an accomplished actor,gives a consistently natural performance as Stella, Blanche’s youngersister. Despite her compassion for Blanche, Stella’s lust and love forStanley ultimately prevent her from helping her sister and escaping herown hard life.

Nicholas Dressel is appealing as the awkward Mitch, Stanley’s poker buddy and Blanche’s would-be suitor.  His theatrical affect of holding his arms stiffly close to the body tells the story:  He is as lost and lonely as Blanche.

In smaller roles, the always fabulous Leslie Hull is onceagain excellent as the neighbor Eunice, careful not to steal scenesfrom actor partner Mieko the cat.

And when she’s on stage, you can’t take your eyes offCarmen Zavala, menacing as the Mexican Woman delivering her message ofdeath (“flores para los muertos”) in the guise of flowers.

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’

Michigan State University

Pasant Theatre

Through Oct. 23

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

$15 adults; $10 students

(800) WHARTON

theatre.msu.edu