It’s always exciting when a new theatre company steps into our busy local scene but it’s especially thrilling when they do so with a bold and audacious choice. Such is the case with the new Wandering Bark Theatre Company and they are making such a memorable impression with their new production of the classic A Streetcar Named Desire. This is a bucket list play for me and I’m thrilled to not only have seen it but to have seen an outstanding version at Wandering Bark.

This play is directed by David Morgan and it is being put on in the intimate environment of the Hive Collaborative’s stage. They have the ramshackle French Quarter apartment of Stella and Stanley Kowalksi who have had their homelife interrupted by her older high strung sister Blanche. At Wandering Bark Blanche is played by Annadee Morgan and she has just the right amount of disdain and insecurity for the role to work. She’s a pathetic failure of a woman and yet she carries herself with the judgmental airs of a high society woman. This of course drives everyone crazy especially Stanley played by Brinton Wilkins.

I am of course familiar with the 1951 film classic of A Streetcar Named Desire and it was interesting to see the similarities and differences between this staging of the play and the movie. The biggest contrast that stood out is the humor in the piece. Granted it’s been a bit since I’ve seen the movie but I was surprised how much I chuckled in the first Act in particular. Of course we have our iconic “Stella” scene and the violence but it is more well-rounded emotionally than I was expecting. My memory of Vivien Leigh in the movie is she is more of a fragile presence than the stronger more overtly manipulative version of Blanche we see here which I found fascinating to watch.

Speaking of Stella she is played with great power and emotion by Alexis Boss who is always outstanding in everything I’ve seen her in (I will never forget a production of The Normal Heart she was in back in 2022. An all time favorite of mine.) I like that she isn’t a pushover with Stanley and her and Wilkins have a good chemistry together and are a believable couple.

Obviously A Streetcar Named Desire explores challenging themes of abuse, suicide, marriage but it does so with more nuance and authenticity than I expected. It’s not purely an anger-fest for 2 1/2 hours. What you will get at Wandering Bark, however, is professional quality acting with some of American literature’s most memorable characters. It is playing through May 2nd and tickets can be purchased here.

A Streetcar Named Desire is written by Tennessee Williams and first premiered in 1947 on Broadway. It is frequently rated as one of the most influential plays ever written winning the Pulitizer Prize for drama in 1948 (it amazingly didn’t win the Tony for best play that year which went to Mister Roberts which I’ve never heard of.) Jessica Tandy did win a tony for Best Actress. The 1951 film won 4 Oscars, 3 for acting but lost Best Picture to An American in Paris.

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