A Streetcar Named Dramaturgy: Keti Dolidze @ Edfringe 2016

TUMANISHVILI FILM ACTORS THEATRE TBILISI. GEORGIA Presents

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Assembly Roxy/ Central 4-29 August, 2016

A world away from the iconic film interpretation, theatre director Keti Dolidze deals with a culture clash between members of the industrial, urban immigrant class and the fallen Southern belle, a former schoolteacher from a wealthy family in Laurel, Mississippi.

In this landmark play by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, the director has portrayed these iconic characters as fragile, flawed, and fumbling personalities with their true essence laid bare for the audience.

“...in contrast to the author’s remarks and subtext, the director invited audiences to witness the insanity of the main heroine until the very last scene, where her psychological problems dramatically crescendo.” Giorgi Kajrishvili, Georgian Theatre

What was the inspiration for this performance?

The more we live in this cruel society the more dreaming becomes essential for every human being. The genius playwrights and writers always write about issues that immediately become universal and actual to any time. “A Streetcar Named Desire” is a story not about a lunacy of a lone woman, but of her trying to save the world from its brutality.  The idea and inspiration to produce this show is my true believe that “We have to live the dream, not just dream.”

How did you go about gathering the team for it?

Tumanishvili Film Actors Theatre is very well known worldwide for its excellent team of actors. In the year of 2014 our company won The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence. 

We always collaborate with the very best people in their field and the whole cast are actors of the finest within Georgia. They are a cast of stars so it was easy for me to choose the very best people to work with. Nineli Chnkvetadze (Blanche DuBois) got the best female actress award in Georgia for her role in this performance. Since 1988 we have been coming to Edinburgh to perform. We have been welcomed and our shows incredibly successful. It has been a wonderful journey.

How did you become interested in making performance?

Making performance is what I do. With this play in particular I was inspired to make it for many decades and it is great to make it a reality today.

Was your process typical of the way that you make a performance?

My productions were always awarded in Georgia, Edinburgh, Moscow, Warsaw, London. The methodology of doing theatre is based on a very precise laboratory work with actors by keeping the legacy of a great Georgian theatre director and Master Mikhail Tumanishvili.

 What do you hope that the audience will experience?

We want the audience to truly feel. It’s important that whilst the show is physiological theatre it is not based on gimmicks. We want the audience to be moved and to experience alongside us and the cast the true sensation of what we are trying to create.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

To raise their awareness by liberating them from the plot to reach the actual reality. I tried to feel myself free, to change the common attitude from different angles by making the show truly attractive.

Do you see your work within any particular tradition?

The shows must be smart and eye-catching, and this is the only tradition I respect.