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NRTG Review   |
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Niagara/Wheatfield Tribune |
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Nov.
15 2001, pg. 5 |
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NRTG's 'Death of a Salesman' a must-see |
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By
Liz Zilbauer |
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For any fan of the kind of theater that deals with the richly dark, intricate
tumult of mind and soul, portrayed by a cast highly in tune with the wild
range of emotions playwright Arthur Miller has brought to script, the
Niagara Falls Theater's Production of "Death of a Salesman" is a must-see.
Translation: any fan of great entertainment should not miss this local
company in action. |
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One of the marks of skilled
acting is the total visual that the cast can create for its audience when
the set they play on is limited. Apart from a few prop changes, the stage
is set as the Loman household: two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a front porch. |
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The actors make remarkable
use of the space, doing well to create spatial illusions. For example, in
the first scene, when an exhausted, unhinged Willy Loman returns to his
home, an emotional discussion between him and his wife ensues that seems to
heat the room stuffy. At one point, Willy opens the door and steps
outside: a release from that room, and a more refreshing night air can
almost be felt. |
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John Study of Grand Island
plays Willy Loman, a salesman who has reached the end of many facets in his
life. His only connection to any kind of vitality lies in his memory,
setting up many flashbacks and mental projections throughout the play.
Study, then, holds the difficult role of handling pretense on a dual level.
He masters this with excellent timing, gesturing and facial expressions. He
forces us to experience Willy's emotions with such things as his ability to
speak with a shaky voice, and his nervous, distracted mannerisms are enough
to make the audience antsy at points. |
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Lighting was a vivid complement to the Willy
flashbacks. Warm, yellow lighting filled the house and, perceptively, the
mind of the troubled salesman, completing the change in attitude as Willy's
thoughts meander through happy times. The same is true for the dimming of
the lights at times when flashbacks concern dark or chaotic memories. |
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For the most part, the
acting is very natural. In fact, as the play goes on, the audience may only
be drawn out of the story when a dated, 1949 phrase is used. A truly
negligible amount of flubbing occurred, but even then, the skilled actors
used it to their advantage, actually making the dialogue sound more
true-to-life. |
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The positioning of actors
is striking at points, too. In one of the first scenes, Happy and Biff
Loman, played by Timothy Zahm and Tom Lang, respectively, talk
enthusiastically about their dreams while their father, Willy, sits directly
below their loft, his head in his hands. It speaks loudly of the contrasts
between Willy's failure and his sons' hopes for their lives yet to be
fulfilled. |
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Zahm and Lang carry their
roles very well, with Lang specifically representing very strong emotions
with skill. His crying scene is handled very well, and he also makes even
the smallest of gestures very important. For example, when he attempts to
hide a secret from his mother Linda, played by Paulette Danni, his avoidance
of eye contact with her makes the scene that much more realistic. |
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Lang is not the only
character capable of a moving crying scene. Danni, as Linda Loman, is
forced to take on a character of wide emotional demands, and her crying
scenes are beautiful. She also adds much to the differentiation of time in
the production. In flashbacks, Linda must become about 15 years younger,
and Danni does this not only in her dress, but by adding noticeable vibrancy
to her demeanor and voice. The quiet and hesitation that make up her
personality in non-flashback scenes is then pronounced, and the deflation
Linda has experienced in her life with the older Willy is made obvious. |
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Aside from the main
characters, many of the characters with less prominent positions filled out
the production nicely, and were very entertaining. Every actor on stage
demanded the attention of their audience. |
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When curtain call came
last Friday night, much of the house rose to their feet, and the actors
received a standing ovation. |
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There is much more to this
play for the well-trained eye, as well as the general theater-lover to
enjoy. Played in the Greek Theater of the Niagara Falls Convention Center
from Nov. 9—24, this production, directed by Grand Island resident Fran
Newton is not to be missed. |
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John Study (right), as Willy Loman, gives a
salesman's advice to stage son Biff, played by Tom Lang, in Niagara Falls
Little Theatre's production of "Death of a Salesman" (Photo by Larry
Rowswell) |
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