Actresses: A Firm Sense of Role

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She thinks that the teaching helps to stabilize her performances and give her objectivity—and she has always displayed both a firm sense of role and an ability to cope with any unexpected developments onstage. In Streetcar, when Stanley Kowalski grabs Blanche and says, "We've had this date with each other from the beginning," Blanche swoons and the lights go out. One night, playing opposite Anthony Quinn, Uta fell before his onslaught, but the lights stayed on. Quinn stood there paralyzed, uncertain what to do. Uta knew what to do. "Rape me, you idiot," she rasped. "Rape me!"