Considered one of the most celebrated plays of the 20th century, Melbourne Theatre Company presents as its season centrepiece, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, in the Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne from 9 July 2024.
Set against the backdrop of a 1940s New Orleans, Melbourne Theatre Company’s very own Anne-Louise Sarks directs Tennessee Williams’s classic masterpiece.
Nikki Shiels returns to Melbourne Theatre Company following her triumph in Sunday, and stars alongside Michelle Lim Davidson (The Newsreader), Mark Leonard Winter (The Dressmaker), and Steve Mouzakis (The Lifespan of a Fact) as the renowned Blanche, Stella, Stanley and Mitch.
As Blanche Dubois grapples with her shattered dreams and inner demons, she seeks refuge in the cramped apartment of her sister Stella and her volatile brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski.
Tensions escalate and dark secrets fan the flames of an already incendiary marriage. The delicate balance of power within the household teeters on the brink of collapse, exposing the vulnerability of the human condition.
Sarks considers this an opportune moment to resurface Williams’s classic, given its timeless themes. “Theatre is an artform that lives in the present moment.” she says. “Williams’s masterpiece has moved audiences of all kinds for decades, and it will maintain its perpetual relevance.”
“The exploration of violence, fear and trauma, and the way those things forever alter us and affect our ability to connect with each other is part of a timely conversation. Our production will honour the origins of this well-known play, but also harness its relevance and theatricality in a fresh new way,” says Sarks.
Director: Anne-Louise Sarks | Featuring: Gabriella Barbagallo, Kaya Byrne, Michelle Lim Davidson, Stephen Lopez, Steve Mouzakis, Veronica Pena Negrette, Nikki Shiels, Katherine Tonkin, Mark Leonard Winter, Gareth Yuen | Set & Costume Designer: Mel Page | Lighting Designer: Niklas Pajanti | Music: Stefan Gregory | Intimacy Coordinator: Amy Cater | Voice & Dialect Coach: Geraldine Cook-Dafner | Fight Director: Nigel Poulton | Assistant Director: Joe Paradise Lui | Assistant Set & Costume Designer: Bianca Pardo
A Streetcar Named Desire
Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Season: 13 July – 17 August 2024 (previews: 9 – 12 July)
Information and Bookings: www.mtc.com.au
Image: Nikki Shiels stars as Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire – photo by Jo Duck