A Streetcar Named Desire, Young Vic *****

A Streetcar Named Desire at the Young Vic Theatre. Gillian Anderson as Blanche DuBois, Ben Foster as Stanley

On a whim, I went along to the Young Vic hoping for returns for an addition to my National Theatre Platform with Kate Adie. To my delight, I managed to get front row seats so, after an interesting interview, I was full of  anticipation for the show.

I wasn't dissapointed.

Gillian Anderson's Blanche is the best performance in stage or screen that I have seen in my lifetime. The plunge into insanity is made so real by her physicality in the role. At the end, I defy anyone to look into her eyes and not turn into a blubbering wreck. Some of her actions towards the end triggered laughter from the audience. To me, it signalled a tragic woman destroyed by her own actions. Her supporting cast also don't let her down. Foster brings true menace to Stanley and the sister is played with real compassion. It isn't all perfect. Whilst I found the set design original, at times my view was obscured by it's constant rotation. However, the idea of bringing American classics into the modern world is an inspired idea and should be done more often. At curtain call, I have never seen a reaction from an audience before. The warmth towards Anderson was tangible. I also have never seen an actor more appreciative. It is a spell- binding show.