Review: Death of a Salesman (Liverpool Everyman)

Review by Bella Flynn Haddon

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is always a sense of excitement when a new production on an Arthur Miller classic is playing, and that was exactly the case with Tristan Flynn-Aiduenu’s revival of Death of a Salesman at Liverpool Everyman. With the title combining two of my least favourite things, I went in unsure what to expect and worried that I wouldn’t be able to relate at all. With such a well-known play that has been performed and adapted countless times, would this production bring anything new? 

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller follows Willie Loman, an aging salesman who is struggling with his career, his mental health and his relationship with his family, especially his son Biff. Willie has always believed that being successful and well-liked is the key to a good life, and he has placed these expectations onto his sons. As his grip on reality begins to slip, we move between the present and memories from Willie’s past, slowly seeing how his relationship with Biff has broken down and how his obsession with success has affected his family. Miller has compared the play to Greek tragedy, and it is easy to see why.

What surprised me most about this play is just how relevant it still feels today. Now more than ever, we see the desperate need to be better than everyone else and how comparing yourself to those around you can be completely detrimental to your mental state. The dialogue is incredibly engaging and surprisingly funny at times. I love a non-linear narrative, and through Willie’s memories we are taken back throughout his life. It would be very easy for something like this to become confusing, but it is always clear when we are going back in time through clever lighting and costume changes.

There are some really strong creative choices throughout this production, directed by Tristan Flynn-Aiduenu. The production draws from Igbo culture, which I really enjoyed seeing woven through Miller’s story. The show opens with a woman in traditional African clothing playing the flute, a motif that appears a number of times throughout the play. Whether she represents temptation, Willie’s ego or his inescapable past is left for the audience to decide. It gives the production a distinct identity and adds even more tension to the performance. 

There is one creative choice that didn’t work quite as well for me. Throughout most of the play, the characters are dressed in outfits that fit the time period, but halfway through there is a shift where we see some characters in more modern clothing, vaping and even using a MacBook. While this does add to the confusion Willie is experiencing, it took me out of the play slightly and mostly left me wondering why the choice had been made.

The set is spread across multiple levels, showing a kitchen, Willie and his wife Linda’s bedroom and his sons’ bedroom. Despite there being very minimal set changes, the staging and lighting made it incredibly clear where the characters were supposed to be, and it genuinely felt like you were inside the home of this struggling family. The lighting almost made the play feel like a musical at times, with the focus shifting onto a character during their monologues while everyone else faded away. Without spoiling anything, the lighting choice at the end was fantastic. There were also some great sound choices throughout, adding to the tension of the piece.

Of course, the acting has to do a lot of heavy lifting with source material like this, and Cyril Nri is exactly the strong lead the play needs. He plays Willie with such subtlety and he really sells (no pun intended) his mental health struggles. Nri makes Willie feel incredibly vulnerable, allowing us to see how his desire to be well-liked and successful ultimately becomes his downfall. Laurence Ubong Williams plays Willie’s son Biff, and his final confrontation with his father towards the end of the play is one of the most impressive pieces of acting I have seen in a while. I felt for his character deeply as he realises what Willie fails to: that he is a dime a dozen. Williams brings so much emotion to this confrontation, making it one of the standout moments of the production. All around, the acting was fantastic, really encapsulating the Liverpool Everyman’s mission to showcase local talent. 

There is something really exciting about seeing such a well-known play given a completely different perspective. The use of Igbo culture throughout the production adds a layer of meaning that gives this version of Death of a Salesman its own identity, while the performances and design keep Miller’s story feeling as powerful as ever. For those near Liverpool, this is definitely not one to miss.

Death of a Salesman plays at Liverpool Everyman until 10th October. Tickets from https://everymanplayhouse.com/event/death-of-a-salesman/ 

Photos by Ali Wright