Two worlds collide in a heartbreaking fight until one is destroyed in this powerful adaption of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Following the slow decline of southern belle Blanche DuBois, the Lyric Theatre production of the Tennessee Williams masterpiece perfectly portrays the protagonist's slow fall from grace to madness.
Aoibheann McCann is outstanding in the role of Blanche, pouring every ounce of her soul into portraying the complex character. Her performance is captivating and you can't take your eyes off her throughout.
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As the cast took their bows, you could see in her eyes how much the three hour turn on stage had taken its toll on her emotionally.
The American play is a favourite with many and tells a tragic story layered in fantasy’s inability to overcome reality, dependence on men and the slow pace of change in the old south.
Blanche's arrives at her sister Stella’s home in New Orleans sparks a sad chain of events as she is introduced to her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski, played superbly by Mark Huberman.
Her hopes of starting a new life after losing her ancestral mansion, her job, and her reputation in her hometown of Laurel come crashing down as her conflicts with Stanley become more ferocious before ending in tragedy.
The energy on stage between McCann and Huberman, as Blanche and Stanley, is fierce as the hatred intensifies as the play progresses. Huberman is brilliant as the brutal and course Stanley, portraying the character's toxic masculinity.
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Special mention must also go to Meghan Tyler in her role as Stella, whose triumph was in the subtleties of her facial expressions as she watched her sister unravel. My heart broke for her as I watched her heart break in those final scenes.
I could barely contain my own emotions watching as the play came to its devastating conclusion. It is a performance that will stay with me for some time.
Bringing it all together are the incredible costumes (I would like to raid Blanche's wardrobe), and the set combined with atmospheric lighting which perfectly demonstrates when the red mist descends.
My only warning to audiences is that it is a long production, starting at 7.45 and finishing around 11pm with a 20 minute interval. I would say towards the end of the first act I was starting to wonder when the break was going to come.
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But everything picks up pace in the second act and you will be left on the edge of your seat. It is definitely one not to miss this month, so get your tickets booked now.
The show runs at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast until June 8.
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