comment #1

DeafBrownTrashPunk says ...

I read that review yesterday. You know, Rachel Weisz also played Blanche in STREETCAR in the West End as well, much earlier this year. I'm not sure when the production ended, though.

I've heard mixed reviews about Weisz's performance as Blanche and to be honest, I don't think she's a great actress. But Cate Blanchett is and I'm definitely sure she IS amazing in the role of Blanche as everyone says she is.

comment #2

DeafBrownTrashPunk says ...

So... if anyone knows where I can find a filmed performance of this (the entire show), please drop me a message.

comment #3

CameronIsHMFIC says ...

Jeff, where`s NBR reaction?

comment #4

goodgrif says ...

"I've heard mixed reviews about Weisz's performance as Blanche and to be honest, I don't think she's a great actress."

Where did you hear about this? Rachel Weisz got almost unanimous praise for her role and is getting award attention in England. She also got praise from the Times as well. If you are going to lie about something try to do a better job of it.

As for who is better, guess what, i saw both productions of this play, The one in Australia with Cate Blanchett ( Which is the one that is playing in the states right now) and the one from England with Rachel Weisz and sorry but Weisz did it better. Cate has a better overall production but Weisz gave a better performance.

comment #5

DeafBrownTrashPunk says ...

yeah, Weisz actually won the Evening Standard Theatre Award last week for Best Actress in a Play. Mark Rylance won Best Actor (he's my favourite, actually) for JERUSALEM, which is a great play.

I'm curious if the majority of theatre-goers would agree with you if Weisz was better as Blanche than Cate is.

comment #6

adamx says ...

I saw the Rachel Weisz's stage version of Streetcar while on vacation in Britain late this summer and Rachel was extrodinary. She really made that play special and she deserves every award for it. I have not seen Cate Blanchett's version yet but she does have very big shoes to fill in comparison to what Weisz did in my eyes. Anyway, judging by the critical response, Blanchett does succeed but i'm not surprised. Both Weisz and Blanchett are probably the best actresses we have working today.

comment #7

btwnproductions says ...

Natasha Richardson was no slouch in the last Broadway STREETCAR, but that production was heavily compromised by John C. Reilly's miscast Stanley--he's a Mitch all the way.

comment #8

adamx says ...

The actor who played Stanley in Weisz's Streetcar was not very good ether.

comment #9

Stringer Bell says ...

Tough ticket, I hear, You going Jeff?

comment #10

erniesouchak says ...

Rachel Weisz would be a total embarrassment in the role. I'm sure Blanchett is good, but she's the most widely overpraised actress on the planet, so I take this with a big grain of salt. I saw Jessica Lange do it, and she nailed it.

comment #11

adamx says ...

(Rachel Weisz would be a total embarrassment in the role.)

Excuse me but Rachel Weisz has already played the role and has gotten great critical acclaim for her performance and is winning awards for it. Maybe you should know what you are talking about before making statements like that.

comment #12

Noiresque says ...

I saw this production in Sydney. Cate is as good as they say, but I rated Joel Edgerton and whatsisname playing Mitch very highly as well. So JE is no Brando (who is?) but his Stanley was the perfect magnetic opposite to Cate's particular Blanche. And he was naked, in perfect view of my seat, mmm hmmm.

The Stella was bog-standard on the other hand. Ruth Wilson (from Jane Eyre) got good reviews opposite Rachel Weisz. I'd love to see a really great rendition of Stella, as she is a fascinating character.

comment #13

Daniela44 says ...

I was fortunate to see both productions as I am a HUGE Williams fan and as much as I enjoyed Rachel's depiction and feel it's worthy of awards, Blanchett's was simply on another level. Cate really captures the strength that is always missing in DuBois inhabitors. I did enjoy Rachel's fragile take but upon seeing the brilliant counterpoint of fragility & strength within Cate it's no question who really got inside this character and portrayed her as no one before has. And last but not least, in the 39 years I've resided and attended theatre productions in New York, I have never seen such an enthusiastic response! The performance I attended elicited 6 standing ovations!!! Liv's superb direction took the end in a slightly different direction than the Donmar one, but oh, was it an impressively moving exit!! It's still lingering in my memory. So, yes, Rachel was excellent but Cate was revelatory.

comment #14

thejeffy says ...

Saw both plays with Rachel Weisz and Cate Blanchett and Rachel was much better. Rachel came across as enlightening and human while Cate came across as way too over the top and made Blanche into more a cartoon than a real person. As for the so called strength Cate displayed on the stage Daniela44, its called overacting. there was nothing real in what Cate did, just someone looks for award consideration.

comment #15

Daniela44 says ...

thejeffy-And what awards praytell, would she be considered for? NOT the Tony's, so I don't know what awards you're referring to. I disagree with you. I think both of them played them enlightening and real, just that Cate's natural strength shone through more and her voice is much more powerful onstage. This role is meant to have dramatic flourishes and that is what Cate provided so marvelously! It is NOT overacting. I've seen overacting and what Cate does is relish in the dialogue which many actors these days neglect. This text is so rich and rhythmical it takes an actress of considerable range in physical & emotional to convey it and Cate does this brilliantly. There are many more reviews supporting this aspect, so you're pretty much in the minority with you're views. And why would you buy tickets to a play with an actress you don't respect? Curious indeed.

comment #16

broadwaydannyboy says ...

I saw the play with Cate Blanchett a few weeks ago during its final days and while she was very good, she did overact a bit too much in certain parts of the play. I don't called that natural strength or powerful, i call that being very stagy.

comment #17

Daniela44 says ...

Heads up to everyone reading this-seems that thejeffy & broadwaydannyboy are both the same person. They are an obsessed Weisz fan (MrKLovesPenelopeStamp or Eweisz on IMDb) who can't stand the fact that Cate received glowing reviews for her astounding portrayal of Blanche DuBois & is posting the SAME comments on every blog devoted to Streetcar! Don't take this person seriously they haven't even seen either production.

comment #18

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