Before I get into this post, I'll take a brief segue, which I think I'm safe to do because I doubt anyone is actually reading this blog series. I've looked back on these blogs and they are a bit all over the place. Some focus on the script, some on a performance (or several performances). Is it a review of the script, or the writer, or the performance? Sometimes all of the above. Reading back through the blog posts, I feel they don't live up to the personal quality standards of theatrical reviews I have previously written. With community theatre, I don't make much mention of anything negative and try to draw out the positive aspects I most enjoyed, sharing any insights and impacts I might have experienced. And, while in this blog I don't avoid detailing the elements I don't love and I feel fine with that, the actual central concept of the blogs seems a little vague and unclear and I was a bit disappointed that the style and standard and intent of what I wrote differed a lot from post to post.
But as this is a theatrical journey, I think it's ok if I figure some of these things on the run. While I will still try to draw out themes and ideas (and performances and staging where they stand out to me), I think the overarching point of my writing the blogs is to process my thoughts which seems to be aided by the written word, and that these posts are not reviews per se, they are impressions of how a play hits me, what appealed, what didn't and why... fully aware that individual productions can give very different experiences. I'm trying to be a theatrical archeologist, uncovering things that are new to me, even if they are already well, known to others. So these blogs are not reviews per se, they are just my experiences of encountering works I'm not familiar with.
I'm also trying, unsuccessfully, trying to find ways of shortening these down... mostly because the time needed to write them is chewing into my play reading and watching time considerably. Fingers crossed. Now back to the play.
All my sons
The idea for the play came to Miller from an idea suggested by his mother. Some owners and leaders of a manufacturing business that made parts for aircraft became aware of some faulty parts, but sold them to the US defence force anyway. Planes fell from the sky and many American service men died. That provides the story frame, although the individuals, their conversations and their interactions are fictional.
The play touches on themes of family v doing the right thing, obligation, materialism, guilt, denial, war and morality. It's a very satisfactory meal. Aside from the great plotting and interactions between characters, two main things contributed to my enjoyment of this play. Miller is a gifted dialogist. and I was fortunate enough to see two outstanding productions (that I'll get to later).
Regarding the former, I found that Miller's character conversations hit home as more realistic to me than many of the playwrights I've been reading in this series. His dialog (again, at least to me) was more pithy, more punchy, and while there was a sufficient amount to set tone and mood, he didn't bog down there which I've felt happened with a few other playwrights. He gets on with the story and the various plot elements he drops have few red herrings and connect together for a powerful conclusion.
I'm going to try and avoid spoilers because I believe this play works best with some surprises up its sleeve... but the characters include the father and family figure head Joe Keller, who runs the plant and was briefly imprisoned before being exonerated, Kate (his wife) who is mourning her oldest son (Larry) that was reported missing presumed dead, which she doesn't believe. Kate loves her family, but retains some hostility towards Joe and on several triggered occasions succumbs to a lack of control and anger.
Chris Keller, the surviving son, idolises his brother and his parents, and has fallen in love with Annie Deever, who had been Larry's girl before Larry went "missing" three years ago. Chris believes she feels the same way. Annie is also the daughter of Joe's former friend and colleague Steve Deever who was found guilty of the matters Joe was cleared of, setting up something of a Montague and Capulets, or Hatfield and McCoys situation.
Arriving later in the play is Annie's brother, George, who grew up as a close friend of Chris. He believed that his father was guilty of the crimes he was convicted of, but has come to believe his dad was innocent and carrying the blame of other guilty parties. There are five other characters, neighbours and friends, who also share the stage.
Again, avoiding too many reveals, what I most liked about the play was the intricacy of the intertwined relationships, the slow reveal of key bits of information, the hints of something not being quite right in elevated conversations in which Joe or Kate seemed somehow amplified. and the appropriately limited use of the characters with lesser parts... none of their appearances or dialog wasted, all contributing without pulling focus.
If I haven't made it clear yet, I REALLY liked this play... and maybe it's because I have been hiding beneath a theatrical rock that I hadn't heard much about the play and so it snuck up on me like some sort of hidden gem.
I was also very relieved. Since many of the highly regarded plays by the highly regarded playwrights didn't do very much for me (not all of them... loved "Our Town" and quite liked a few others), I was starting to think there was something wrong with my ability to appreciate revered works. But I enjoyed the first production of this that I saw this so much, I was excited to know I had another great version up my sleeve, and neither disappointed.
The versions I saw
The first version I watched was from the 2019 London Revival performed at the Old Vic in London. The star-studded turn included, among others, Bill Pullman as Joe, Sally Field as Kate, Jenna Coleman as Annie and Colin Morgan as Chris. Pullman was fine, and the others I felt were exceptional. Sally fields grief was palpable, her mood turns, always triggered by fear of things hidden coming to light, were gripping. Former Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman, perhaps as a result of her fake time travelling experience, slid effortlessly into the role of a young woman in the 1940s, and her reactions and confusion to the changing moods and attitudes around her hit all the right sympathetic nerves. But I thought Colin Morgan, who I know almost nothing about except that he played the title role in the Merlin TV series, was exceptional. Of all of the characters, he had the most dramatic arc to draw and I felt he nailed the optimistic affable everyman that descended into a distraught young man tortured by revelations exactly as Miller devised it. A great performance, with a very realistic reproduction of a backyard leading into the back of a house as it's staged set piece, that you can see on the National Theatre at Home subscription service.
The other version I saw was also very very good. It also recreated the same scene setting in a very similar style (lighting seemed a bit too harsh on the actors faces at times but it looked great). This was the 2010 production staged at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. It starred David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker (both from the TV series Poirot) as Joe and Kate respectively, with Jemima Rooper as Annie, and Stephen Campbell Moore as Chris. I have to say, I've never seen a lot of range in my limited views of David Suchet as he has mostly played serious, taciturn roles, but his performance in this was avuncular and full of joy. I thought his was a stronger, more layered performance than Pullman's. I think he also hit the emotional sweet spots in the more dramatic moments too, partly I imagine because of how well he'd delivered the lighter side. The other actors were all very good too. This version can be seen on the Digital Theatre subscription streaming service and, honestly, you could see either version of this and be equally as entertained and moved.
My thoughts
While it's not about a very well known true story, I think the fact that Miller had a frame suggested by a true story helped him guide his ship. This was his second play and his first, "The man who had all the Luck" had flopped on Broadway, lasting only four nights. he was so dispirited he said he'd try one more show and if that didn't work, he'd give it away. This was that show, and thankfully he didn't give it away or we would have been deprived of not only this show but the rest of his catalog of shows.
Again, I totally enjoyed this. The family tones and relationships felt familiar, the difficulty in absorbing new information about loved ones and trying to figure out how to react didn't seem at all performative, and the dramatic finish hit hard because all of the hard work had been done in engaging the audience and bringing them irresistibly to to that point.
But most of all the dialog. So many quotes that showed a great ear for original, interesting writing. Here's just a couple of phrases that I really liked, showcasing his touch for the light and comic, and also the ability to hit the mark with both barrels.
- When Chris asks his dad (Joe) for the book review of the newspaper, and his dad replies but you don't read any books, Chris replies "I like to keep abreast of my ignorance."
- Or when Joe says “I’m his father and he’s my son, and if there’s something bigger than that I’ll put a bullet in my head.”
And there's another quote near the end that gives greater depth to the title of the show.
Overall, I totally enjoyed this. No notes from me. It's a great show, and one I'd like to see in person, anywhere.
Materials accessed:
- "All my Sons" - script (1946). Available for free at many sites online, including this version from Maitland Repertory Theatre.
- "All my Sons" - pro-shot video (2010). Produced at the Apollo Theatre and available to view by subscription on the Digital Theatre streaming service.
- "All my Sons" - pro-shot video (2019). Produced at the Old Vic theatre and available to view by subscription on the National Theatre at Home streaming service.
Please note... there are other versions that can be viewed for free on Youtube but I have not accessed those.
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