Andy Studdart as Willy Loman and Linda Tester as The Woman, Willy’s mistress, in 1812 Theatre Company’s Death Of A Salesman. Picture: Joe Coughlan
ARTHUR Miller’s Death Of A Salesman will be staged by 1812 Theatre Company at Helmsley Arts Centre from tomorrow to Saturday with a late change of cast.
“Rehearsals have not been without event,” says director Julie Lomas. “Unfortunately our leading lady, Sam Hughes, was involved in a horse-riding accident on October 5, requiring hospitalisation, and is unable to perform this week.
“However, we have a first-rate replacement in Kate Cawte, who will be very skilfully taking the role of Willie Loman’s long-suffering, devoted wife Linda, book in hand.”
Written in 1948, when Miller finished the first act in a single spring day in Roxbury, Connecticut, and premiered on Broadway in 1949, Death Of A Salesman is performed only rarely by amateurs. “It’s been complex and hard work, but rewarding, with both new and regular performers for the company starring in this clever and layered masterpiece,” says Julie.
“We have a very strong leading cast, some of whom have not acted with the company before, plus the return to the stage of drama teacher Jonathan Lewis as Biff Loman.”
Miller’s play focuses on the last 24 hours in the life of Willy Loman, the struggling salesman of the title, who , who cannot understand how he failed to win success and happiness. Through a series of tragic, soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, sons and business associates, Miller reveals how his quest for the “American Dream” kept him blind to the people who truly loved him. The plot is set mainly in the 1940s, complemented by Loman’s idealised memories of happier times in the 1930s.
Andy Studdart is making his first appearance with 1812 Theatre Company as Willy Loman. “The title role is a tour de force and it will be a remarkable debut by Andy,” says Julie. “He is not the only newcomer in the cast: Dylan Canton, is playing Happy, one of Willy’s sons, while the other son, Biff, is played by Jonathan Lewis, who is making a welcome return to Helmsley after a prolonged break raising his young family.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have such talented and committed actors on the stage at the same time and working with them has been a joy.”
Regular 1812 players will be in the cast too: Oliver Clive plays the sons’ nerdy friend, Bernard; Beaj Johnson is Charley, said by Willy to be “the only friend I have got”; Richard Noakes is Uncle Ben, Willy’s recently deceased elder brother; Robert Perry is Stanley, the obliging waiter, and Mike Martin plays heartless boss Howard Wagner.
The role of Willy’s seductive mistress goes to Linda Tester and Vicki Mason plays both Charley’s secretary and the very glamorous Miss Forsythe.
“Far from being a miserable play, as the title may suggest, this powerful, fast-moving play is peppered with humour and surprises,” says Julie. “It is energetic and passionate throughout, culminating in emotional scenes, the likes of which are rarely seen on stage. There is some beautiful music and performances are worthy of the highest praise.”
In his introduction to the play, Miller described the setting as being “wholly or – in some places – partially transparent”. This has provided inspiration for 1812’s set, with Julie being guided by Sue Elm in its design and its construction, carried out by a five-strong set-building team led by Michael Goslin and Peter Ives.
Music is integral to Julie’s production too, in particular the melodies, played on a flute to represent Willy’s state of mind. The many sound cues and lighting effects will be operated by Helmsley Arts Centre technical manager James Bentley.
The evocative costumes and properties are supervised by Julie Wilson and Pauline Noakes respectively and the actors have been guided throughout the rehearsals by production assistant Jean Sheridan. The experienced David Tester is the stage manager, assisted by the ever-positive Billie Billington.
Julie has wanted to put on this play for “at least as many years as it took Arthur Miller to write it – ten”. “Miller carefully thought through the impact his inventive, theatrical elements would present on stage, for example, the co-existence of past and present, and the visualisation of Willy’s hallucinations,” she says.
“This challenge appealed to me, together with the sharp detailing of the characters’ emotional states and the relevance the play’s themes still have today.”
1812 Theatre Company presents Death Of A Salesman, Helmsley Arts Centre, October 15 to 17, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
