Anthony LaPaglia and Alison White shine in a superb rendition of one of the finest plays of the twentieth century, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman before the promise Welcome to Theater First with Alex First. It won the nineteen forty nine Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in the same year. It's an incendory look at the American dream, which relates to the opportunity for individual prosperity and success. The action takes place in nineteen forties New York, with flashbacks two earlier times when still in his mid teens, Willy Lohman LaPaglia started out as a salesman at age sixty three. He remains on the road, covering thousands upon thousands of kilometers. His territory is New England. He's tired and washed up. Willie was once the pride of his company, fated by the current owner, Howard Wagner's father Frank, who has since passed. Howard Wagner, played by Simon Maiden. Now working only on commission and seen by Howard as a liability, Willy doesn't make enough to cover the household expenses. In fact, he has to turn to his neighbor Charlie Steve Bastoni for regular handouts to pay his way. Willie's wife, Linda Alison White, loves him dearly despite his grumbles and worries of late. Willie's mind also appears to be going not aware of his lack of standing with his boss. Linda urges Willie to ask Howard for an office job to lighten his load. She and Willie have two adult children who are temporarily staying with them, sharing their old room. Willie bemoans the fact that the elder Biff Josh Hellman, has made nothing of himself. He's but a transient farm hand earning little money, when his providence could have been so different. As a teenager, Biff was a football star destoned for a college scholarship until he mats. Then his life started to unravel. He fell out with Willie, whom he still loves, but whenever they talk they end up locking horns. Willy's younger son, Happy Sean Keleenan, is a womanizer and a big talker who has his eyes on a more prestigious job than he currently has. Truth be told. Despite pumping himself up. He's an assistant to the assistant buyer at a local store. Happy would love to go into business with his brother. They come up with a plan, with Biff determined to approach a former employer for funding. As Willy's mental state continues to deteriorate, he has increasing visions of his older brother Ben Richard Piper. The latter made a fortune in Africa by the time he was twenty one, friendless and losing all hope, Willy's final blow comes at Howard's hands, while the reception Biff receives from his former employer is equally shattering. Anthony Lapadia's Australian stage debout could not have been any more triumphant. In a demanding lead role, Lapaglia's gravelly voiced representation of Willy Lohman is a master class of push and pull, nuance and subtlety. Lohman is at times belligerent, obstinate, frustrated, enthusiastic and beaten. LaPaglia captures all with a plum. He metamorphosizes into a man whose fate is sealed. White is dynamic and assured, as his devoted wife, conscious that all is far from right, but desperate to keep things together to see him through. Josh Hellman brings a sense of desperation to his role as an unfulfilled thirty four year old laborer who could never live up to his father's expectations. Sean Keenan channels a smooth communicator without substance, whose life's station is hardly what he represents it to be. Richard Piper imbues Willy Lohman's wealthy and successful dead brother Ben with self importance. Ben has little time to listen to Willie's overtures. Steve Bastoni infuses Willy's ongoing provider, Charlie, with warmth, humor, and heart. Tom Stokes makes his mark by way of impressive sharp contrast as Charlie's successful and measured son and hitherto as Biff's frenzied classmate and friend. Simon Maiden gives Howard a pragmatic, if somewhat dismissive edges Willy's second generation boss with no time for passengers. All cast members, including Elizabeth blackmore Manali D'tar, Louisa Mignon, and Grant Piro, performs strongly. There's no weak link in this highly accomplished production. The single set, designed by Dale Ferguson, is clever, evocative, and utilitarian. It represents seven rows of bleacher seats at Ebbett's Field, with a coach's box at the top. The venue was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team until the nineteen fifties, five professional football teams, including three NFL teams. Miller's script makes several references to Biff's budding football career. The set also allows most actors to be seated on stage for the entire show. The production values, including sound and lighting design, elevate the spectacle. Direction from Neil Armfield, who worked with LaPaglia on the film, Holding the Man and the Resident Director to raise a Boorg is exemplary for a play that's all but three hours, there's no let down. With few props, the action moves along at pace. Its emotional residence endures, all the more so given the current state of the world and how difficult it is for many to make ends meet. A trip to Her Majesty's Theater to see Death of a Salesman is well rewarded. It's playing in Melbourne until the fifteenth of October twenty three. You've been listening to theater first with Alex First. Available at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast player. You can also stream on demand at bytes dot com. This has been another quality podcast production from sites dot com.
