'Kowalski' review — when Marlon Brando met Tennessee Williams
Read our review of Kowalski off Broadway, a play by Gregg Ostrin that examines the dynamic between playwright Tennessee Williams, actor Marlon Brando, and more.
On a summer night in 1947, a young Marlon Brando hitchhikes his way from New York City to a beach house in Provincetown, Massachusetts, to audition for the great playwright Tennessee Williams. Williams’ latest play, A Streetcar Named Desire, is set to debut on Broadway soon, and the search for a leading man to play the role of Stanley Kowalski is on. When Brando bursts into Williams’ home, the two men — one a celebrated playwright, the other an unknown stage actor destined for greatness — kickstart a relationship that would define one of the foremost American plays of the 20th century.
It’s a story that sounds too good to be true, but Kowalski, written by Gregg Ostrin, is based on true events. Emotions are running high on this night. With domestic strife between Williams and his partner Pancho, plus the stress of Streetcar’s upcoming Broadway debut, Robin Lord Taylor portrays the playwright as melancholic, yet playful; irreverent, yet fastidious; vain, yet vulnerable.
Enter Brando, played with an immediately arresting swagger by Brandon Flynn. While Flynn may not necessarily scream Marlon Brando looks-wise, his surly and endearing performance embodies the man's heart and soul. And when Taylor’s Williams first lays eyes on Flynn’s Brando, sparks begin to fly.
There is a palpable chemistry between these two characters. It’s difficult to take your eyes off them, even while they are constantly moving about the set. Ostrin’s script provides a fascinating maze of topics the men may have covered in their first meeting — such as their love of theatre and their emotionally distant fathers — and Taylor and Flynn work through Williams’ and Brando’s complex emotions throughout. All the while, they maintain the fire that both draws the characters together and makes them clash.
Kowalski isn’t an entirely seamless play. Both the framing device (an older Tennessee Williams telling the story on a talk show) and the secondary characters feel somewhat superfluous against the strength of the meeting between Williams and Brando. But the electricity of the two lead characters together is undeniably exciting to experience, and it just may make you want to go home and learn everything there is to know about them.
Kowalski summary
In summer 1947, Tennessee Williams is in Provincetown awaiting the arrival of a scrappy young actor to audition for the lead role of Stanley Kowalski in his newest play, A Streetcar Named Desire. When 23-year-old Marlon Brando finally arrives, late and frustratingly obtuse, the two men don’t exactly hit it off. And yet, they can’t seem to stay away from each other.
Over the course of the night, Williams and Brando — both destined to become legends of the 20th century — talk, laugh, bond, and argue until they can no longer escape the fact that each is exactly what the other needs.
What to expect at Kowalski
Like all the most unbelievable stories, Kowalski is based on truth. While only Williams and Brando can ever know exactly how that night went, it’s a piece of theatre lore that has been passed down through the decades. Playwright Gregg Ostrin’s is as much a character study of these two legendary men as it is a depiction of a real moment in history.
The entire play takes place in Tennessee Williams’ Provincetown home, recreated with a charmingly realistic set (designed by David Gallo) with details such as drawers that open to reveal real toolboxes, cookie jars with actual cookies inside, and a seemingly bottomless bar. Though Taylor and Flynn need no help building out their characters' world, the comprehensive set gives the show a comforting, lived-in feel.
What audiences are saying about Kowalski
Audiences have raved on social media about Kowalski, especially the performances of the two leads.
- “[Brandon Flynn is] incredible in this role! Literally inspired us to go home and immediately rewatch A Streetcar Named Desire!” -Instagram user @meredithscousin
- “Dream team of the year.” -Instagram user @archambault4435
- “What a show! Fan-freakin-tastic acting, all around.” -Instagram user @gibbysian
Who should see Kowalski
- Set during a single conversation on a single night, Kowalski is the perfect play for theatregoers who enjoy a bottle show structure — one limited in the scope of its time and/or setting — to dive deeper into the personalities of the lead roles.
- Fans of Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham, You) and Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why) will delight to see these two actors shine, both together and apartment, in these dynamic roles.
- Those interested in A Streetcar Named Desire, especially anyone planning to see this spring's Off-Broadway production starring Paul Mescal as Stanley, will want to check out this show, which takes a look at the famous character and the men who immortalized him.
Learn more about Kowalski off Broadway
Kowalski is not only a loving depiction of an iconic chapter in theatre history, but a fascinating character study of two men who left their mark on American culture. Through two sparkling performances, Tennessee Williams and Marlon Brando come to life again.
Photo credit: Kowalski off Broadway. (Photos by Russ Rowland)
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