Paul Mescal is going to be very busy in March 2025.
His hit London production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” is coming to Brooklyn’s BAM Theater after a run at the Almeida Theater in Islington. The play featuring the “Gladiator II” star is making a second run in London before coming here.
At the same, Mescal will be in the Oscars mix that month for “Gladiator II” without a doubt. The Paramount release launches soon, and Mescal will have a lot of awards promotion all winter.
Of course, in “Streetcar” Mescal plays the Marlon Brando role of bellowing lout Stanley Kowalski. The last time I saw “Streetcar” on stage was also at BAM, with Joel Edgerton as Stanley. It seems like a short time ago, but that was 2008. Cate Blanchett played Blanche.
It’s interesting that producers are bringing Mescal to BAM, which is technically off Broadway and not eligible for Tony Awards. But many British imports, especially from the Almeida, set down in Brooklyn — the equivalent of Islington. It takes the pressure off the productions and guarantees a solid audience.
Coincidentally, Mescal’s “Gladiator II” co-star Denzel Washington will be opening on Broadway in “Othello” at the same time. The Oscars will be held March 2nd in Los Angeles.