Death Of A Salesman at the Royal Exchange Manchester Review

Reviewed by Ann Durrell

Death of a Salesman is a sobering tale of the ‘American Dream’ gone wrong. Willy Lowman has been sold the dream of being successful in business, being loved by everyone, having successful children, living out his days relaxing on a porch swing, surrounded by Elm streets and Wisteria. It’s not quite worked out for him.

After 34 years on the road as the companies ‘man in New England’ Willy Lowman is still travelling 700 miles in his role as a salesman. His eldest son Biff (Ashley Zhangazha) who showed immense promise when he was young is working as a farm hand, his younger son Happy (Buom Tihngang) has followed him ‘into the business’ but appears more fixated on womanising and his longer suffering wife Linda (Maureen Beattie) is trying to keep everything together. Truly exhausted and struggling with his inner thoughts, which he projects through the memory of his elder brother Ben (Trevor A Toussaint) both his sons return home just as Willy’s life is beginning to crumble around him. Willy is a man in turmoil, was he liked enough? Was it his fault his sons hadn’t been the success he foresaw for them? Did his actions lead to Biff simply giving up on his future?

The staging is minimal, being in the round the stage is set on a level so that the characters not in play are waiting on the side lines, as if they are continuing to watch and criticise Willy. This appears to further fuel his belief that people are talking about him, escalating the issues he is trying to work through.

Don Warrington plays Willy straight down the line, there is no real personality, nothing to like or dislike about the character, an unremarkable man making his way through life. It is only when the prospect of success, through his sons, or a visit from his brother Ben, that we see a spark. It felt a little slow during the first acts, however it certainly picked up. Maureen Beattie played Linda Lowman superbly, you can almost feel the ferocity of the loyalty she has towards her husband.

Both Buom Tihngang (Happy) and Ashley Zhangazha (Biff) give notable performances, their ability to appear younger through how they are holding themselves was convincing. Tihngang portrays Happy in such a way you cannot help liking him, he is torn between his desire to please his father and his adoration for his older brother. Zhangazha stands out best during Biff’s more emotional outbursts. Tom Hodgkins as Charley, who I suppose in these times we may describe as Willy’s frenemy, is likeable and at times I was just pledging mentally for Willy to just go with his offer!

Death of a Salesman is a powerful play and I enjoyed the production and direction which allowed the characters to stand out and for the meaning to hit home.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £18.50 to £41.50 (booking fees may apply).

Death of a Salesman is at the Royal Exchange in Manchester from 11 October to 17 November 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or call the box office on 0161 833 9833.

Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH | 0161 833 9833