NWAllMySons

The University of Georgia Theater adaption of the Arthur Miller play, All My Sons, lived up to the high expectations that one would expect from such a well-known classic. The script from Arthur Miller is already a remarkable work within itself, questioning the American dream in a way that forces the audience to consider the implications of their own hypocrisy. The play adhered to a fairly traditional rendition of the play but took greater creative liberties in the set design concept. This allowed for more interpretation in the depth of understanding between the characters. The acting was remarkably strong to a degree that it supported the interesting text matter and elevated the production to a level that engages the audience for the entire duration of the play’s run. Each actor played their character to the point that the status of a close-knit family and doubtful community was believable. The actors carried their emotions in such a matter that the tensions that were present in the conflict were perfectly evident, but not overly dramatic. Overall, all crucial elements blended to formulate a truly engrossing and enjoyable production of a great play. To begin, upon entering the Fine Arts Theater the set props and is visibly in the form of a traditional American home, the kind that is ubiquitous in many American suburbs. However, instead of being a traditional stand-alone buildings, the walls have been taken out and the windows and other remaining features of the house style set are held aloft by pieces of wire. The pieces of wire means the set swings back and forth at different points in the play and casts shadows on the stage. This makes the set seem pliable, but still firm enough to hold up in the wind. Additionally, the façade of the house can seem like it is looming above the characters. The part of the stage closest to the audience is supposed to represent the backyard of the Keller’s house, and is the focal point of the neighborhood and thus, the play’s action. In the backyard, there is a wooden table with seats, and across from that a bench. The main feature of the back yard is the large metallic object that is revealed to be a tree planted for Larry, the Keller’s deceased son. The entire set is designed with the theme of steel in mind, thus explaining the silver colors on the house and the metal tree. The blowing down of the tree takes heavy symbolic meaning, being the object closest to representing Larry throughout the play. The floor of the set is wooden and was designed with various heights as to accommodate for the eyes sense of perspective. The only whole, complete structure is the back porch that leads into the backyard. The only major change to the set during the course of the play is Chris removing the remains of the metallic tree lying in the backyard so it even further resembles the stump of a tree. Everything else remains rather constant through the play’s action. The overall minimalism of the entire set is the greatest departure from the original production of the work, as that specific production would focus on creating a more realistic atmosphere. Instead, the set designer made a stage that emphasized the bare minimum in American life through the choices in props and set layout. After once acclimate ones self to the more conceptual set design, it functions very well and does not hinder the play in any form. In fact, it helps the play for the insights it gives about materialism in the expression of the American Dream. Otherwise, all of the individual items that made up the props looked and felt real. For example, it looked as though real grape juice was being poured and drank by the characters. At one point, Kate is even seen preparing what appears to be actual food for dinner. All of this adds to the authentic feel of a production that has chosen to be played with less traditional set styles. Following in the cue of the set designer, the director makes decisions that deviate most from the standard interpretation of the play. The open design of the house allows for the audience to see through not only the windows, but through the spaces between the windows and doors. What is interesting is that the director has chosen to align wooden chairs next to each other behind the features of the back of the house. There, characters that are not directly involved in the scene sit. In their positions it appears as if they are observing the characters that are interacting with each other on the back porch and in the backyard. This decision builds the tension because it makes it captures the distrust that the neighborhood would have for the Kellers and each other at the time. As each character sat in their chairs above the other characters, it seemed as though they where silently watching and passing judgment on the actions that would occur within the confines of the Keller’s backyard. Other than this, the director stays true to the original source material. This is good because any attempt by the director to try and completely reinvent Arthur Miller’s work would have to be done so brilliantly and at such a precise level that most likely any effort to do so would result in a tremendous flop. For that reason, I am glad the director did not become too overly ambitious and destroy a beautiful piece with frivolous adaptions that would dilute the play’s tension and meaning. Basically, what is so engrossing about this production of the play is that the director finds a way to simultaneously blend greater elements of the traditional with more subtle, spatial concepts in a way that presents Arthur Miller’s classic to the audience in such a way that it does not appear dated, but is not plagued with the confusion of an overly modern production. The key was establishing a balance between the innovative new ideas to approach this play this production suggests, and the text of theoriginal production, a task completed well by the director. In the lighting and sound department, the choice to opt for less is chosen. Rather even lighting is used throughout all of the scenes that are supposed to occur during daylight. Usually, the lighting singles out no one character, but all of the characters on the screen share the light, just as all of the characters on the screen have serious issues with the repression upon the death of Larry. The lighting is much darker in scenes where it is twilight or nighttime, but the characters on the stage are still visible. The backdrop behind where the characters sit when they are not involved with the action plays a part in defining what time of day and more importantly what mood the characters are feeling. In the scenes where it is twilight, the backdrop is purple and black and creates an ominous tone that helps the audience sympathize with how the characters are feeling at that specific moment within the play. The costumes that are worn by the characters in this specific adaption are throwbacks to the clothes of the 1940s. Joe and Chris wear nice suits that show that they are successful men working at a steady job. Additionally, their work clothes show they are business oriented, as opposed to characters like Frank, who is seen wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt that mirrors the colors that the women wore more than that of the men. Frank’s shirt shows a man who has missed the draft and has been unscarred by the war. Out of all of the characters, he is the only one who truly has not been involved in the terrible atrocities of war, since he was always one year ahead of the draft. Joe’s suspenders suggest that he is an older man that is a business veteran and ties him in with the negative image of a corporate fat cat or business owner. The ratty hat that George wears represents his father and the conditions with which he now lives, after having been pushed over by Joe in order for Joe to merely save himself. All of the women wear colorful dresses and skirts that reflect the colorful optimism surrounding Americans following the end of the most horrific war the world had ever seen. Anne, especially, is seen wearing green, suggesting a new life for both Chris and the rest of America. The acting in this play is what really makes it work more than anything else that could be discussed. More than anything, this work is a visceral portrayal of the family and what happens when the family unit is shattered by some life-changing event, in this case, the death of Larry overseas. The most notable performance came from Brian Reddy, who headlined as Joe Keller. Even though it was known that Joe was at fault, Reddy delivered Joe Keller with so much well-timed emotion that it was impossible to not sympathize with the man. It seemed as if he became the character and lured the audience into his portrayal of the loveable old man. Complimenting him well was the actress who played Kate Keller. She played her role as the grieving mother so well and seemed incredibly believable during her crying scenes. The rest of the cast was great as well, especially Chris Keller. Not many mistakes were made with lines, and the characters were played with the suitable amount of emotion. Overall the acting and production were perfect for each other.