CMU School of Drama


Thursday, July 06, 2017

Dystopian "Death of a Salesman" Brings Hyper-Reality to BAM

Clyde Fitch Report: The American dream is dead. Not just dead, but pretty much decomposing before our eyes. Watch or read the news — or worse, consider in what kind of nihilistic, hopeless world we debate the difference between real news and fake news, or a real statesman in the White House or that fake pig squatting in the White House — and it becomes clear that the American dream is now a joke that no one is laughing at.

1 comment:

Sidney Rubinowicz said...

One reason I love theatre is that it is always relevant. It is an art form that is constantly growing and changing, which is shown by this article. Theatre Mitu’s production of Death of a Salesman utilizes Arthur Miller’s words and original intention with a modern spin. The theme of a meaningless, unfulfilling life were relatable in the time in which it was written, as well as today. This modern production includes aspects of current events, such as the internet and the United States presidential state to better involve the audience. I believe this is a very important approach from a directorial standpoint, because it revives brilliant classical works, while showing a new perspective. This article shows how technical theatre can facilitate this, such as with lighting to reveal flashbacks. I love how the director chose to veer away from the traditional cozy living room setting to create a dystopian environment that is both ominous and shocking. This article does an excellent job of revealing this perspective by both describing the play, and including direct quotations from members of the production team.