A View from the Bridge

Suspension Bridge

A View from the Bridge

 by Arthur Miller

Headlong at the Rose Theatre Kingston until 11^th November

Review by Heather Moulson

A girl sits on a swing with her back to the audience, against neon lighting, and a subtly tense soundtrack. A shiny floor resembles a river, surrounded by a stark black setting, with stairs leading up to a courtroom-like area.  The overall design sacrifices the tawdriness of 1950s Brooklyn for a dark atmosphere that exudes an air of downbeat glamour.

A View from the Bridge is a complex piece by Arthur Miller that simmers with tension right from the first scene.  Set in the Brooklyn town of Red Hook, it is narrated by Alfieri, an Italian-American lawyer, played by Nancy Crane, an observer who represents the bridge between two cultures.  The central character is a tragic figure, Eddie, who carried a near-obsession for his niece, Catherine.  Her parents being long dead, Eddie has replaced her father.  Aunt Beatrice, his wife, encourages Catherine to be more aware of her growing body, before the tension is stretched taut by the arrival of Beatrice’s two cousins from Sicily, Marco and Rodolpho.  

Beatrice’s suspicions about Eddie’s feelings become stark reality and she urges Catherine to marry Rodolpho.  This only serves to notch up the undercurrent of violence, and Eddie’s dark feelings, reaching a climax that could only end in tragedy.

The two hour play is augmented by good and atmospheric lighting, beautifully designed by Alex Fernandes, with striking shadows and thick smoke effects, picking out a macho ballet dancer. The underlying music, by Max Perryment, also enhances every scene.  Designer Moi Tran’s bold but stark set becomes more effective as the drama goes on.  The power game of chair lifting makes a superb end to Act One.  There could only be more competition to come.

Accents are authentic and polished, but Alfieri and possibly Eddie, could use more projection.  Kirsty Bushell as Beatrice, the unhappy wife and aunt, and Tommy Sim’aan as Marco, her older cousin, are outstanding.   Eddie, played by Johnathan Slinger is poignant, and nicely embittered, and Luke Newberry as Rodolpho is genuinely enticing and sincere.  Catherine, played by Rachelle Diedericks, is vibrant. Louis and Mike, doubling up as immigration officers, and played by Elijah Holloway and Lamin Touray provide a smooth performance.

Director Holly Race Roughan has a lot to take on with this iconic piece and carries it off to a triumph, in a suitably dark and tragic production.

Heather Moulson, November 2023

Photography by The Other Richard