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The good life turns bad
Ray Shell as Joe Keller, the comfortable patriarch and his wife Kate, played by Dona Croll, who belives their long dead son is still alive. Picture: Pamela Raith All my sons
Birmingham Rep
***** ARTHER Miller’s brooding cauldron of
morality, set in a post second world war family with its secrets
and lies, is brought to life by the highly talented Talawa Theatre
Company. The play written in 1947 was based the premise of
a true story, where a manufacturer knowingly shipped out defective parts
for tanks that were proved to have caused mechanical failures that then
lead to the deaths of many soldiers. The manufacturer was convicted and skilfully
Miller places the essence of this crime into the lives of a torn family,
coming to terms with the loss of a son yet within a ho It is August 1947, and Joe Keller is relaxing at
his comfortable home enjoying the life he has built and worked hard for
his family to enjoy. At 61 he is nearing retirement and though he is
still bearing the loss of one of his sons Larry, he is keen to move on
from the tragedy of the war years. There is the happy prospect of his
remaining son, Chris, who plans to marry Ann, Larry’s former fiancée. There is the comfortable friendship and success
he enjoys with neighbours and contentment with his business still
prospering. However Kate his wife, still believes her son Larry to be
alive and she carries and conceals the secret of her husband’s crime. Miller’s story is powerfully constructed and the
Talawan Company never fail to ring every twist and emotional turn out of
the dialogue. Every performance is balanced, in place and well performed
as each layer of the facts unravel, turning the good life into tragedy.
Ray Shell as Joe is a commanding presence using
his long theatre experience to create a solid realistic character,
reflecting on the decisions he has made as a business man to support and
provide opportunities for his family. One felt however that when his
demise finally arrives that he is more casual than heartbroken at
deceiving his family and so losing the respect of his son, but none the
less played a pivotal role. Leemore Marrett Jr as Chris delivered a
passionate performance. His angry exchanges with his father when the
Moral compass finally turned were very convincing, yet he was
subtle enough to convey his clean cut, naïve principles before the
family secrets are revealed. Kemi-Bo Jacobs as Anne was very effective, if a
little too often staring off into the distance, like a `southern Belle’
during her performance .She was mostly polite and considering she holds
the final key, in the form of a letter, to reveal the final damming
truths, showed little of that during the play . Dona Croll as the mother Kate was a joy to watch
fiercely believing her son to be alive against all odds and wrongly
convincing herself of her husband’s innocence. Her final tears of tragic
loss were genuine enough that as the curtain call happens seconds later,
she was still visibly upset while taking her bows. All MY Sons is a complex tale that requires full
investment of the players in their parts and skilful direction, here by
Michael Buffong, to ensure the shift and downfall of each character
happens realistically. The play is built on the criminal act of the
supply of damaged goods but in this production, the work output is
flawless and the final effect is much greater than the sum of the parts.
To 28-03-15 Jeff Grant
24-03-15
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usehold
built on the wealth enjoyed by the wartime manufacturing.