Scottish Ballet: A Streetcar Named Desire, Sadler's Wells
Dance and drama come together in Scottish Ballet’s acclaimed adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play, now returning to Sadler’s Wells.
A Streetcar Named Desire is a timeless tale that revolves around passionate yet potentially toxic relationships. This means the characters are deeply embroiled in both desire and despair. Trying to escape her troubled past, fading southern belle Blanche DuBois turns to her younger sister Stella for solace. She moves into Stella’s New Orleans apartment but, rather than finding the refuge she had hoped for, is faced with instant dislike from Stella’s boorish husband Stanley. A very physical man, whose natural instinct is to lash out, Stanley soon sees that Blanche is not what she appears to be and he sets out to destroy her.
Stella and Stanley's visceral relationship provides the choreographer with plenty of strong material. Their marriage tingles with a tantalising physical chemistry but has a dangerous undercurrent of sexual tension and anguish. The animal magnetism between them explodes into bouts of violence when short-tempered Stanley erupts. Still, the fervent love-making that follows seems to keep Stella standing by her man. As Blanche’s and Stanley’s mutual distrust escalates and Stella finds her loyalty tested, plenty of opportunities arise for Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s choreography to exploit these intense relationships - and she does!
Blending classical technique with earthier, emotive and period styles ensures pointe work is enhanced with exhilarating lifts, impassioned partnering and riveting ensemble routines in this modern ballet. The production is set to a specially commissioned jazz-inspired score by award-winning composer Peter Salem and features designs by Niki Turner. The swinging sounds, striking sets and colourful costumes effortlessly transport audiences to 1950s New Orleans.
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The ballet's adult content means it is suitable for those aged 12 years and up.
Sadler’s Wells is the final venue Scottish Ballet will visit in the UK before taking A Streetcar Named Desire on a tour of the USA; so seize the chance to see the company in this thrilling production before the dancers head stateside.
31 Mar 2015 – 02 Apr 2015, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Click here to book via the Sadler's Wells website
