BWW Reviews: ALL MY SONS Is An Emotional Ride At The Alley Theatre

Arthur Miller's ALL MY SONS has an illustrious history, having garnered many awards over the years; the original Broadway production earned awards for its debut in 1947, including Tony awards for Best Author and Best Direction Of A Play, and in 1985 the Broadway revival garnered a Tony for Best Revival Of A Play. In 2008 a star-studded revival opened, with accomplished actors John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, and Patrick Wilson leading the cast. There have been two movie versions of the play, one in 1948 and another in 1986. ALL MY SONS is a popular play to produce- a quick Google check makes it clear that this play resonates with theatre companies across the country.

Interestingly, ALL MY SONS was Arthur Miller's do-or-die last ditch effort. His previous play, The Man With All The Luck, closed on Broadway after a meager four performances. He vowed to himself that he would write one more play and if it wasn't successful he'd leave scriptwriting altogether.

Based on the true story of a woman who turns her father in for supplying defective airplane parts to the army, this play has its roots in the Greek Tragedy genre in that past events come back to assault the characters in the present. Secrets push through the seams of comfortable suburban life and everyone is forced to take a good, long look in the mirror.

The play takes place after World War ll. Joe Keller, played winningly by James Black, is a self-made businessman who once gave defective parts to the U.S. military. Soldiers died as a result, and Keller's business partner was convicted and sent to jail, while Black was exonerated. Adding to the conjecture, the Keller's youngest son went missing in action in a plane accident during the war. He's been gone for three years, and yet his mother, Kate Keller, still clings to the idea that he's alive somewhere. This makes it difficult for Ann, Joe's business partner's daughter and Larry's former girlfriend, to move on and marry Chris, Larry's older brother. Ann and Chris are in love and plan to get married, which rattles Kate to her core; if she accepts the marriage, then she must accept that Larry is dead.

The play has such an interesting tension; from scene to scene the characters reveal little by little, just revealing enough to keep the audience guessing. The performances and writing are so persuasive that you find yourself changing your mind about what really happened: Is Jack guilty of negligence? Was there a cover-up? The answers to these questions change as the story reaches its climax. It feels like a who-done-it, with sizzling suspense in scenes leading up the dramatic conclusion.

Celebrated playwright and television writer (NYPD Blue and Smash, just to name a few), Theresa Rebeck directs a strong and committed cast in this Alley Theatre production. The entire play covers the span of a mere two days and the emotional arc and pace of the characters is quite demanding. James Black is outstanding in his range and immersion in the role of a man who has a lot at stake and plenty to hide. Elizabeth Bunch is likable and down-to-earth, a symbol of innocence and honesty. Jeffrey Bean plays Dr. Bayliss, the neighbor next door who is trapped in a marriage with a spiteful busy-body, played by Melissa Pritchett. Their marital repartee lends some comedic relief to a play that can be heavy at times. Josie de Guzman plays an unhinged mother in mourning, playing the martyr with conviction and intensity. Ms. de Guzman was hard to understand at times. It wasn't a question of volume as much as enunciation. Jay Sullivan is compelling as Chris Keller, a man who is stuck in the middle of severe family disfunction and desperately wants to move forward. The chemistry between Sullivan and Bunch is wonderful and their characters' romance is a nice counterpoint to all the strife happening in the storyline.

The Alley has a reputation for excellent, nuanced set design and ALL MY SONS doesn't disappoint. Alexander Dodge creates a beautiful, idyllic home on a tree-lined street in the suburbs that is life-like and detailed.

Arthur Miller was gifted at capturing themes of character and morality in such plays as The Crucible and Death Of A Salesman, and ALL MY SONS is every bit as effective. While the play was created in the late 1940's, the question of personal accountibility and moral value is still very relevant today. The strength of the play is in watching Miller's characters bump up against each other as the truth is revealed- or at least somebody's version of it.

For tickets to: http://www.alleytheatre.org/Alley/All_My_Sons.asp

Photo Credits: John Everett

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