"So much of the play is about the death of poetry and idealism and hope—the fine, delicate things in our lives, the intangible, ephemeral things in our lives—which theater actually represents, doesn't it? It's ephemeral by its very nature. If you're not there, you miss it. It's gone." -Cate BlanchettThank heaven I was there! Sitting in my distant seat purchased months ago, second to last row, experiencing a slight case of vertigo... I could still feel the performance. Each member of the cast reached the back wall of the theatre, and BAM Harvey Theater is no small venue! They certainly earned their 6 standing ovations at the conclusion of the performance and took their curtain calls together. Such a beautiful show!
I pride myself on my opinion of performers being something unique and insightful and varying from the popular consensus, but Cate Blanchett may be the best performer I will ever experience in my life. My one regret is that I was so far from the stage I could not see the little intricacies I know were a part of her performance only viewable by those in the orchestra, but what I could not see I heard through her use of vocal fluctuation and intonation. Her accent rang true and the varying octaves she traveled through during the desperate moments of Blanch DuBois communicated every moment clearly to the packed house.
Marlon Brando will always be my Stanley Kowalski, but Joel Edgerton played the part well. His nasal accent was reminiscent of Brando, but I missed the chemistry between he and Blanche (but I was on the second to last row). Robin McLeavy played a sweet Stella.
My one complaint happened in the final moments. Blanche takes the arm of the doctor and interlaces her fingers to his, the theatre is silent as she delivered that brilliant line, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," and the idiot playing Mitch decided to take a heaving sob and totally stole an incredibly beautiful moment! Otherwise... no complaints!
