Plastic theatre

Plastic theatre (definition)

Expressionist staging that externalises inner psychology through sound, light, and symbolic props

Varsouviana Polka (origin)

Tune linked to Blanche’s husband Allen Grey and his suicide after her confrontation

Varsouviana Polka (effect)

Signals Blanche’s grief and mental deterioration; grows louder or changes key as her control slips

Blue piano (meaning)

Represents the spirit of life in New Orleans; creates a dreamlike mood

Blue piano (structure)

Cyclical framing device: loudest in the final scene when Blanche is taken away

Locomotive sounds (association)

Linked to Stanley’s raw, modern power and moments when Blanche’s truth is exposed

Locomotive sounds (symbol)

Also evokes Blanche’s urge to escape; crescendos toward Scene 10

“Paper Moon” song (function)

Articulates Blanche’s belief in make‑believe and mutual illusion as a coping strategy

Shadows and light (symbolism)

Light equals truth; Blanche’s lampshade and avoidance of daylight show fear of exposure and ageing

Other plastic elements

Meat in Scene 1, piano and clarinets, Poker Night painting as mood and theme cues