Sold out: Maxine Peake in A Streetcar Named Desire at Royal Exchange

This Autumn, the Royal Exchange Theatre turns 40, and to mark the occasion they have some very special productions on the slate. Among the standouts, running from September until October, is Tennessee Williams’ classic drama A Streetcar Named Desire. Maxine Peake stars in the lead role of Blanche DuBois. This production is directed by Sarah Frankcom, the Theatre’s Artistic Director. Frankcom is a long-time collaborator with Peake – they worked together on productions of Hamlet, The Skriker and The Masque of Anarchy. After losing her country house to creditors, Blanche is forced to travel to New Orleans to live with Stella, her married sister. Stella’s brooding husband Stanley does not take to this intrusion into their lives, and in the heat of the Southern summer, emotions spill over and family secrets are revealed. Winner of the 1948 Pulitzer Prize, it is considered by many to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.

Thu 8 Sep – Sat 15 Oct, The Royal Exchange Theatre, St. Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH. Tel: 0161 833 9833, Tickets on sale from Tuesday 21 June, £16.50 (standard ticket), www.royalexchange.co.uk