January 2017 – Death of a Salesman

  • Playwright – Arthur Miller
  • Location – Harrogate Studio Theatre
  • Director – Rachel Conyers

Cast

  • Willy Loman – Stuart Newsome
  • Linda – Jenny Antram
  • Biff – James Willstrop
  • Happy – Joel Dowson
  • Uncle Ben – Mike Garside
  • Charley – Paul Dunstan
  • Bernard – Elliott Matthews
  • The Woman – Clare Evans-Argent
  • Howard – Matt Melenas
  • Stanley – Mark Nicholls
  • Miss Forsythe – Lucy Evans
  • Letta/Jenny – Sally Bendtson

Arthur Miller won a Pulitzer Prize for this play which premiered in 1949 and garnered both a Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play is set during the post-war boom period of the late 1940s and explores the shortcomings of the American dream.

Willy Loman, an ageing travelling salesman, has reached a crisis point. He is about to lose his job, he can’t pay his bills and his sons Biff and Happy don’t respect him and can’t seem to live up to their potential. Secrets buried in the past begin to resurface, leading to an explosive conclusion, as Willy is forced to commit a seemingly selfless act which will allow his family to continue their own dreams.

This classic piece of theatre from one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century was ahead of its time and still resonates with audiences today. A chance to see an engaging and thought provoking piece of drama.