Two young women in my class are doing the 1st Blanche/Stella scene in "Streetcar." No big deal, right? Wrong. On the surface, Stella seems to be placid and quiet while Blanche natters on, nervous and uncomfortable. But both women have to locate the tense underscore that Williams provides in order for the scene to succeed. On first reading this essential fact eluded these two talented actors.
Remember that in any scene, the actors have to be aware of their objective and their obstacles. Blanche's are clearer than Stella's. But it's absolutely essential that Stella find her keys so that the tension and conflict between the sisters works.
And you have to look past the dialogue to find them. That's the problem. Many young or inexperienced actors flounder when they try to find answers exclusively in the dialogue while ignoring the subtext.
Williams gives us hints IN the dialogue, which demand that we look closely at subtext. Stella is defensive about: her living conditions, her marriage to Stanley (she hasn't even told him that Blanche is coming to visit - fearful of how he's going to respond), and her pregnancy - which she doesn't know how to share with Blanche. Further, she has to deal with Blanche's nervous state and the obvious fact that there's something wrong. If the actor digs through this rich subtext, all she needs to know reveals itself.
The problem for the actor lies in knowing where to look. Once you remind yourself that the solution to an acting issue often lies BENEATH the surface of the text, a light appears at the end of the tunnel. These 2 young women are now confidently on their way!
