Exemplar First Class Theatre Review

Trying to attain a ticket to the fasting selling production in the history of the Young Vic was seemingly impossible this summer. Yet, thanks to NT Live, the international screening of this Williams's classic brought London's hottest ticket as far as our coastal town of Fife. Excitement between the local community and the popcorn munching St Andrean English students was palpable and the hype was in no way undeserved for this mesmering piece.

Blanche DuBois (Gillian Anderson) totters onto the stage in stiletto heels, oversized sunglasses and humorously struggling with designer luggage.

Immediately, the audience delight in Benedict Andrews's decision to transport the Kawolski apartment from its late 1940s origin to present day New Orleans.

Andrews also swaps the beauty of Brando for a short, tattooed and comedic Stanley (Ben Foster) to surprisingly enjoyable effect. Foster has a likability and playfulness with the sisters that endears the audience to him and makes those bestial outbursts even more unsettling. The ability to smile at Stanley Kowalski with both open and closed eyes is a refreshing take on such an iconic character.

Diminished looks in the leading man are certainly made up for by the stunning Vanessa Kirby as Stella. Yet, despite being the shiniest, she is also the weakest link in the trio. Kirby's at times faltering accent and wavering energy mean she upstages in appearance but not in performance.

Therefore, in this production, it is not Stella, but &Blanche for star', as Anderson is enthralling from start to finish. She embodies both the humour and the fragility of Williams's beautifully detailed character and has the ability to provoke first a smirk, then a tear, from her captivated onlookers. Thanks to Magna Willi's continuously rotating set every inch of the stifling apartment is on display. Consequently, audience gaze switches from a heated argument in the kitchen to Blanche's sobs behind a closed bathroom door and thus no move by Anderson goes by unnoticed.

Victoria Behr's costumes must also be commended as the vibrant colours worn by the women reflect the vivacity Anderson injects into this classic. The tight orange dress Stella forces over her baby bump and the bright yellow sequined number Blanche parades upon the doctor's arm visually unite two sisters who could not seem more different.

Anderson's breakdown in the closing scene, is a masterclass on how to prevent a theatre, or in this case cinema, from exhaling their filled lungs of anticipation. Anderson slips effortlessly between frantic and beautifully dazed to create a tragic heroine that seems damaged beyond repair. This is also Kirby's strongest moment, as she truly appears broken at the betrayal of her sister, yet it is once again hard to tear eyes away from Blanche's heartbreaking climax.

Anderson's Blanche may never receive that &magic' she longs for from Mitch, but she certainly gives it to her audience, through this sparkling performance. An absolute must-see on stage or screen.