Broadway Review-----A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is my all time favorite play. I love it's plot, it's time and setting, and most of all, I love the language. Tennessee Williams has written three of my top ten favorite plays and this is my absolute favorite of his. This was my third Broadway visit to A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. The first was back in the 90's with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin. That was a flawed production with a masterful performance from Baldwin but a timid and hesitant one from Ms Lange. The second was not long ago and starred Natasha Richardson and John C. Reilly. This was a pretty awful production, with the exception of Ms Richardson. But the production I saw this afternoon was fabulous and worthy of much more recognition than it's gotten from both audiences and critics. The four leads in this version are African-American and it works beautifully. Blair Underwood is sexy and animalistic as Stanley. He stalks Blanche like a tiger and when he unleashes his sudden rage on not only Blanche but also Stella, the audience also cowers and fears him. Mr Underwood proves himself to be a strong stage actor. Daphne Rubin-Vega is wonderful as Stella. Her small frame and thin voice works perfectly. She is one of those rare actresses who can say more with a look than with words. Wood Harris is dynamite as Blanche's suitor, Mitch. But the real star of this production and the finest Blanche I've seen on stage thus far is Nicole Ari Parker. Not a false move is made by her as Blanche. She is outstanding and her final scene is magnificent. This is a Blanche that breaks your heart. The Tony Committee saw this production worthy of only a Costume Design nomination. As the bloggers go on and on whining about how Bernadette was robbed for FOLLIES, I am going to go on the record in saying that Nicole Ari Parker should have been nominated for Best Leading Actress in a Play. Her Blanche is new, fresh, and ultimately shattering. Bravo to this incredible Ensemble of actors for breathing new life into one of the all time greats!