Streetcar stagecraft Flashcards
(13 cards)
How is the play structured?
It is separated into 11 scenes and has no acts which is unusual for a tragedy
What is the typical structure of a tragedy?
Five acts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and catastrophe
What is the typical staging of the play?
The main stage is usually the Kowalski apartment, but often there are elements of the street outside to distort the boundaries between public and private life
How are the rooms on stage separated in the National Theatre production?
By a curtain - reflecting the lack of privacy and the invasive nature of Stanley’s actions
What is the effect of the blues piano?
It is heard by all characters and the audience, contributing the portray of New Orleans as a melting pot of diversity
What is the effect of the Varsouviana Polka?
Only Blanche and the audience hear this music and it represents Blanche’s past and her guilt. It acts as a vehicle to transport the audience from her delusion and then back to reality as it was the tune she danced to with Allan before his death
How do the polka and blue piano contrast?
The blues piano represents the diversity of New Orleans, whereas the more measure European Polka represents the old-fashioned values and world of Belle Reve.
What did McConachie say about Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley?
“his poses and gestures copied the confident, coiled, often bare-chested images of American soldiers during the war”
How did the narrative of the play change by the 1951 film adaptation?
Williams refused to remove the rape scene. As a result, Stanley is punished on-screen as Stella leaves him. This reflects changing social attitudes towards gender roles.
What elements of the plot were removed in the 1951 film version?
Allan’s homosexuality, Blanche’s alcoholism, derogatory references to Stanley’s immigrant status and the quotation “On Sunday nights they would go in town to get drunk” was changed to Saturday due to religious values
How was the apartment presented in Kazan’s 1951 adaptation?
Kazan made the set smaller as the play progressed to mirror Blanche’s growing insanity and sense of inescapability.
What is expressionist theatre?
Expressionist theatre shifted emphasis from dialogue to the physical performance and highlighted the director’s role in creating a vehicle to deliver theirs and the playwright’s thoughts and feelings to audiences. It rejected realism and instead favoured dreamlike states and abstract concepts and ideas.
When did Williams use expressionist theatre?
Williams uses expressionism when considering Blanche’s mental state. For example, towards the end of the play, when Blanche was being taken away by the doctors, Williams employs a combination of the lighting, sound and stage directions to convey her emotions. These elements are used to symbolise Blanche’s mentality which is crucial in explaining her behaviour.
