David Hayman leads this haunting and fresh classic
In Death of a Salesman, we watch as over the course of two and a half hours a man and his family have a complete and utter breakdown. Arthur Miller’s cutting analysis of the emptiness of the American dream is haunting, compelling, and utterly relevant today as it was in 1949.
The story (for those who didn’t study Miller at school) follows Willy Loman, a salesman who has spent his whole life grafting to look after his wife and two sons, particularly his older son Biff who grew up as his father’s pride and joy, but has relinquished any potential in favour of taking on odd jobs around the country and avoiding coming home. Loman is breaking down mentally, living more in the past than the present, trying to figure out exactly where he went wrong, and why his dream hasn’t materialised.
This new production by Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Raw Materials has a truly incredible cast, led by the wonderful David Hayman as Willy Loman. He creates a man so shaky and pitiful, yet so cruel and slippery, it makes his every move seem surprising – despite the title of the play. His son Biff very nearly upstages him, with the talented Daniel Cahill creating heartbreaking moments and tackling this huge role with so much energy. Their final scene as Biff begs his father to just accept him for who he is, rather than pretending that he’s the success he raised him to be, is utterly show stopping.
Every member of the cast was giving their all, from Beth Marshall’s patient, steely Linda Loman, desperate to help her family stay together, to Simon Donaldson’s brutally corporate Howard, firing Loman without a second thought after decades of work, a true villain and a joy to hate.
Andy Arnold’s production allows the cast to shine, stripped back to a single set and a few chairs. The entire cast sits onstage throughout the show, including the mini onstage band, making Loman’s descent into despair feel even more brutal with all the eyes watching it happen. The tight lighting design by Rory Beaton switches between the cold, harsh blues of the present and the warm nostalgic glow of the past, keeping us grounded in whether we’re living in Loman’s memories or reality. Niroshini Thambar’s sound design should be lauded purely for the goosebump raising echo of the Woman in Boston’s laugh (played by Charlene Boyd).
The production doesn’t feel particularly surprising in any way, but it doesn’t make an effort to add a gimmick to make the piece feel fresh – which it definitely doesn’t need given the calibre of the cast and the timeless themes. Anyone who has ever felt the weight of parental expectations, the crushing relentlessness of the pressure to succeed, and the brutal unfairness of capitalist society, will connect to this story, and Arnold’s production is the perfect place to do so.