A View From the Bridge

Though Arthur Miller wrote A View From the Bridge more than six decades ago, it retains still the emotional power that forced its producers to circumvent then U.S. censorship laws, in its depiction of parochial machismo, the clash of cultural assumptions, and the fuelling of mutual murderous rage.  Certain written character weaknesses compromise suspension of disbelief by real character analysts, but its plot, comprehensible to any adult audience, holds together very well.  In a nutshell, Eddie — uncle of Catherine and husband to Beatrice — welcomes Beatrice's illegal-immigrant cousins into his home, only to find that the younger guest cousin's courting of his neice threatens to undo all that he has invested in her future.

Director Chris Baldock's vision for the play incorporated use of a chorus.  Though the chorus's joining, here and there, in a little speaking and singing was possibly a little arbitrary, it fitted well enough with the chorus's other role as neighbours and bystanders — the local community — rather than standing out as a contrivance.

The cast, all credibly belonging in the period, did a very good job of portraying a family — and the family's lawyer, who narrated the story — under the rising emotional tensions of young love in conflict with family loyalties and with the uncle's never understated fear that his sacrifices and risks, in straitened times, for the sake of his neice's future and his wife's family will have been in vain.

One of the show's real stars, though, was the set, which director Baldock conceived and designed.  REP's dream combination of Russell Brown and Andrew Kay frequently designs and builds outstanding sets, and Baldock's conception did nothing to insult that fine tradition.

Its powerful drama enhanced by visionary set design and creative lighting, REP's A View From the Bridge is a life lesson worth attending.

John P. Harvey

Photographer: Ross Gould, courtesy of Canberra Repertory.