I KNEW about the 1951 film of Tennessee Williams’ A Street Car Named Desire but didn’t see it.

So it’s a pleasure to get to grips with the stage version at the Royal Exchange Theatre, set in 1947.

The central character is Blanche Dubois who arrives without warning at the home of her sister, Stella.

The role of Blanche goes to the theatre’s associate artist, Maxine Peake, whose role as Hamlet has gone down in history for its excellence.

Her versatility is amazing as she takes on the contrasting role of Blanche DuBois.

Peake makes the part her own, capturing Blanche’s fragility, failing to acknowledge the fate she has brought on herself, and her fear of the future.

Her Blanche, with a penchant for young men, has turned flirtatiousness into an art. She entangles the gullible Mitch in her tentacles. She can be manipulative and even dangerous.

Her fear of the future is not unfounded. Over three and a quarter hours, we watch her steady decline leading to a tear inducing tragic ending.

There are fine performances from Sharon Duncan-Brewster, as her sister, Stella, who married below her class, Ben Batt as Stanley, her husband who blames Blanche for wrecking his marriage and Youssef Kerkour, a lover who, though they become close through mutual loss, sees through her lies.

* A Street Car named Desire is at the Royal Exchange Theatre until October 15. For tickets, telephone the box office at 0161 833 9833 or see royalexchange.co.uk. Star rating * * * *