| A View from the Bridge -- the Tour (in Chicago) -- Lots of Spoilers and Several Spoiler Requests | |
| Last Edit: BroadwayTonyJ 07:27 pm EDT 10/21/17 | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 07:20 pm EDT 10/21/17 | |
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| Got to see this production last night at the Goodman. Caught the '62 film version decades ago and more recently the 2010 staging with Liev Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, and Jessica Hecht so I was familiar with the story. The set consists of a plexiglass-like rectangle with bleacher-type banks of on-stage seats on either side. The play is performed in one act with tension building slowly but inexorably toward a violent conclusion. I found the production riveting, which I'm certain is a tribute to Ivo Van Hove's vision and direction. However, I'm not sure I completely understand everything that Van Hove was trying to get across. We are told that Catherine (played by Catherine Combs) is a recent high school graduate, who has completed a stenography course and now has a job. Throughout the play she is clad in a very short skirt and a long sleeve blouse. In one scene she is wearing high heel spike shoes. Although she is 17 in the early scenes, she looks and behaves like a much younger teen. Whenever Eddie, her uncle, (played by Ian Bedford) arrives from work, she leaps into his arms and embraces him with her legs wrapped around his waist. In another scene she is stretched out on the ledge of the plexiglass. Eddie sits down next to her and begins caressing her leg and thigh pretty much up to her underwear -- it's a rather explicitly sexual action. All of this is done in full sight of Beatrice (played by Andrus Nichols), Eddie's wife. My interpretation of all this is that what we are witnessing is not really happening, but rather it's Eddie's fantasy of the way he wants to see things. He sees his niece as a child and wants to have a sexual relationship with her. Is that how others see it? Thoughts? Also, with the exception of Catherine's high heels in one scene, everyone is barefoot when they enter the plexiglass rectangle. Does this mean they are all baring their souls to us, the audience, as voyeurs? In later scenes after Rodolpho and Marco (played by Daniel Abeles and Brandon Espinoza), Eddie's undocumented cousins, join the household, Catherine seems to mature as her relationship with Rodolpho develops. She now behaves more like a young woman. As the relationship between Catherine and Rodolpho deepens, Eddie spreads rumors questioning his cousin's sexuality. In a climactic scene, he violently grabs Rodolpho (while he is bare chested) and forcibly kisses him roughly and for what seems like a long time. While it is obvious that Eddie feels threatened by their relationship, is it also possible that Eddie is really a self-loathing, very closeted homosexual himself who feels he must destroy the handsome young man who arouses forbidden sexual desires in him? Anyone agree? This production is undeniably very strong and thought provoking. Nevertheless, I'm really glad that it is not my introduction to Miller's play. It helped my understanding of the work that I had previously seen it done in a more traditional presentation. |
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