Plastic Theatre Flashcards
(11 cards)
What is plastic theatre?
Plastic theatre is a term coined by American playwright Tennessee Williams to describe a style of theatre that emphasizes the use of physical elements.
For example as lighting, set design, props, sound, and movement.
Alongside traditional dialogue to convey the emotional and psychological states of the characters.
What does the blue piano represent?
The piano, particularly the “blue piano,” represents several themes, primarily desire, melancholy, and the tension between reality and illusion.
What scenes does the blue piano appear in?
Scene 1 (The very start)
Scene 2 (At the end)
Scene 4 (Stanley wins)
Scene 7 (Blanche’s struggles with reality)
What does the honky tonk represent?
The honky tonk plays an important symbolic role, representing raw, unrefined reality, the contrast between social classes, and Blanche DuBois’s fall from grace.
What scenes does the honky tonk appear in?
Scene 10 (Stanley’s entrance)
What does the locomotive represent?
Related to desire, violence, and inevitable destruction.
Where is the locomotive present?
Scene 4 (Heard in background)
Scene 6 (Description of husbands death)
What does the polka mean?
Polka is a recurring musical motif that is deeply symbolic of Blanche DuBois’s troubled past, her guilt, and her psychological breakdown.
The polka represents a haunting reminder of her tragic history and plays a central role in the development of her character and the overall themes of the play.
Where does the polka appear?
Scene 1 (At the end)
Scene 9 (Mexican woman)
What does the hot trumpet represent?
The sound of the trumpets represents passion, sexual desire, and the physicality of life in New Orleans, contrasting with Blanche’s more refined and repressed views on sexuality and social behavior.
Where do the hot trumpets appear?
Scene 2 (Stanley’s dominance)
Scene 4 (Stanley hugging Stella)
Scene 5 (Around the corner)
