The idea of a gain in complexity suggests that simplicity is expressed in the relative calmness and clarity of the initial scenes, this is evident. The very first scene that we see his backed by a sky which is describes as ‘tender blue’ giving the scenes a kind of ‘lyricism and gracefully attenuates the atmosphere of decay’. The almost poetic description of Stella Kowalski in the opening of scene 4 shows a divinity to her, who, at the end of this play, is one of the most damaged characters. We see her ‘serene’ face presented in ‘early morning sunlight’, this is by no means a complicated visual effect and I doubt would even qualify as a ‘special’ one but such atmosphere as this is key to concocting a straightforwardness and calmness to the atmosphere on which complexity can be built. The light and color of the world that we are being introduced to alone establishes a sense of simplicity.
This play has been described as ‘11 one act plays’, which is an interpretation with limits. To the use of music, a key linking devise, gives this play an identity which is recognizable throughout. Not only do pieces such as the ‘Blue Piano’ represent ‘the spirit of the run down quarter’ and make this play distinguishably New Orleans, but are also objects of manipulation to suit the mounting complexity of the play. The use of this the ‘Blue Piano’ initially establishes a sense of business, activity and, even in this quarter, a vague optimism. But then we see it used again, in that very scene, to give some poignancy the revelation of the loss of Belle Reve as ‘the music of the ‘blue piano’ grows loader’. The polka is used when Blanche DuBois speaks of her past, by increasing the use of this Williams makes us more aware of the escalating revelations at hand. Like the blue piano the polka is manipulated to suggest a certain mood, ‘it is in a minor key faint with distance’ in scene six as the disclosure of Blanches troubled past continues. What is important is that these are two identifiable pieces which recur, their change can be recognized and thereby mirror that which we see and hear on stage.
Coinciding with these poignant revelations in scene six is a ‘locomotive… heard approaching outside’, to which the majority of the audience would arguably not register as bearing any particular significance and many would say that although it is in the text, the sound of a locomotive has no connection to what we are learning about Blanche. But possibly if we consider its significance as a sound, rather than a stimulus for thinking of a train there is some value in its use. It is used in the same vain as music; it has a physical affect. The increasing violent powerful sound alone arouses a feeling of turmoil and pandemonium. Again like music, this is a recurring sound. Williams is also using this as an identifiable feature for a feeling of chaos.
If ‘the climax of the play is the rape’, then this suggests that the culmination of this growth in complexity is this molestation and the atmosphere of the preceding scene and that the closing scene is simply an after thought. You can go to the extremes of saying that Williams presents this scene as much as piece of visual art as a piece of drama. The audience is shown a light show of ‘grotesque and menacing’ ‘lurid reflections’ appearing on the walls with and distorted ‘inhuman voices like cries in a jungle. At this stage the events on which the audience concentrates are dominated by effects so Williams goes all out to make this complex, and it works as a reflector of Blanche’s now obvious madness. We see the suggestive image of ‘a prostitute has rolled a drunk’. This sets a degraded tone to the stage, foreshadowing the events to come.
Although to a cynic or Luddite visual and sound effects pale to insignificance when compared to the immense characters and sharp dialogue of Williams’ play, there is no denying that they do at least aid the creation of atmosphere, which directs the focus and conveyed message of the play. Whether or not this play is simple in the first place is debatable, but we just need to compare the anarchy of the tenth scene with our humble, mellow introduction to the ironically named Elysian Fields to realize how this play gains complexity and what a master of effect Williams is.
