A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by Tennessee Williams which received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The Broadway production was directed by Elia Kazan and starred Jessica Tandy, Karl Malden, Marlon Brando, and Kim Hunter. The drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often regarded as among the finest plays of the 20th century, and is generally considered to be Williams' greatest. Ladies and gentlemen, A Streetcar Named Desire…

Scene one

The exterior of a two-storey corner building on a street in New Orleans…

Blanche comes around the corner, carrying a valise. She looks at a slip of paper, then at the building, then again at the slip and again at the building… She is about five years older than Stella…

Eunice (finally): What´s the matter, honey? Are you lost?

Blanche (with faintly hysterical humour): They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at – Elysian Fields!

Eunice: That´s where you are now.

Blanche: At Elysian Fields?

Eunice: This here is Elysian Fields.

Blanche: They mustn´t have –understood – what number I wanted…

Eunice: What number you lookin´for? (Blanche wearily refers to the slip of paper.)

Blanche: Six thirty-two.

Eunice: You don´t have to look no further.

Blanche (uncomprehendingly): I´m looking for my sister, Stella Dubois. I mean – Mrs. Stanly Kowalski.

Eunice: That´s the party – You just did miss her, though.

Blanche: This – can this be – her home?

Eunice: She´s got the downstairs here and I got the up.

Blanche: Oh. She´s – out?

Eunice: You noticed that bowling alley around the corner?

Blanche: I´m – not sure I did.

Eunice: Well, that´s where she´s at, watchin´her husband bowl… You want to leave your suitcase here an´go find her?

Blanche: No.

Negro woman: I´ll go tell her you come.

Blanche: Thanks.

Negro woman: You welcome…

Eunice: She wasn´t expecting you?

Blanche: No. No, not tonight.

Eunice: Well, why don´t you just go in and make yourself at home till they get back.

Blanche: How could I – do that?

Eunice: We own this place so I can let you in…

Eunice: So you´re Stella´s sister?

Blanche: Yes (wanting to get rid of her.) Thanks for letting me in.

Eunice: Por nada, as the Mexicans say, por nada! Stella spoke of you.

Blanche: Yes?

Eunice: I think she said you taught school.

Blanche: Yes.

Eunice: And you´re from Mississippi, huh?

Blanche: Yes.

Eunice: She showed me a picture of your home-place, the plantation.

Blanche: Belle Reve?

Eunice: A great big place with white columns.

Blanche: Yes…

Related article

Tennessee Williams

Subscribe to the blog to receive more stories like this one.