The play "Death of a Salesman" will premiere at the Drama Center tonight

Pictured: Poster of "Death of a Salesman"

　　Tonight, the drama "Death of a Salesman", produced by Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center and starring Lü Liang, will premiere at the Drama Center. "Death of a Salesman" is a 1949 play written by Arthur Miller, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award, the New York Drama Critics Award, and is the first play in the world to win three major drama awards for the first time. ”

　　The play that made Arthur Miller a household name in the United States tells the story of the 24-hour period before the death of Willie Lohman, an American salesman in the 1930s and 1940s. In his prime, he was well-known throughout New England for his reliable business skills and social skills; his wife Linda ran the housework; and his two sons, Biff and Happi, made him proud. However, as time passes, his good fortune seems to be gone, and his life is gradually out of control... The play intersperses the glory of Willie's youth with the loneliness of the present, reflecting the shattering of the "American Dream" with the dilemma of the life of a small person.

　　In last night's rehearsal, many viewers said that such a story is of great practical significance, and it is worth the people who are busy in the city to be quiet and think about it. Director Lin Yi also highlights "love" in interpreting this work, between father and son, between husband and wife, brothers and friends, in her view, Willy's belief in the "American Dream" is a promise to all Americans. What does it mean to live in a society where promises a lot but nothing is guaranteed? This is the question that Miller asked.

　　In terms of stage beauty, the "house" image that the stage design of "Death of a Salesman" in the past focused on has become an illusion this time, just like the "success" that the protagonist Willie Lohmann has been asking for. In order to let the audience enter Willie's inner world, remove obstacles, blur boundaries, and transform the stage lighting with a sense of lens, presenting Willie Lohman's vision and thoughts in front of the audience. The styling follows the chronological realistic design described in the script, distinguishing different eras from the details, such as the 1920s American men wearing midsuits and stockings, to the 1950s wearing wide-leg frilled suit pants.

　　The play will run from today until August 22. (Xinmin Evening News reporter Wu Xiang)