War, emotion, responsibility and above all else, family. These are the constant themes presented throughout the SUSU Theatre Group’s All My Sons, performing at the Annex Theatre until February 1st. Written by Arthur Miller in 1946 , the play takes place during the event of a single day, focusing on the struggles of the Keller family in dealing with the aftermath of the Second World War.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
The play itself is known for its distinct cast of characters, high emotion and heavy topics such as the effects of war. As a result, a level of difficulty may be associated with putting on such a production, particularly for a student theatre company. I can safely say, however, that SUSU Theatre Group has pulled it off incredibly, putting on a show that is in one word: outstanding.
The first thing that struck me as I entered the Annex theatre was undoubtedly the set. The stage was transformed into a genuinely authentic-looking 1940s-style suburban home, with careful detail shown in much of its design, as well as associated items of decor and props. The structure itself is prominent and close-up and, as a result, allows for a level of permanent closeness with the audience in the room, as if we are invited in to simply observe something happening in real-time. It’s clear that a huge amount of thought went into all aspects of the set and props.
Following this vein of authenticity, the costuming in the show matches not only the era in which it’s set, but the personalities of the characters themselves, often with the actors wearing different items of clothing for different times of day, situation etc. This further aids in creating a level of realism and immersion that presents itself extremely effectively and keeps audiences engaged with the plot.
It would be completely impossible, however, to talk about realism and plot without mentioning the actors. And I mean wow. The performances in this play are nothing short of incredible.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
The neighbours of the Keller Family: Jim Bayliss (Louis Cleave), Sue Bayliss (Athena Vourgos), Frank Lubey (Luke McCrone), Lydia Lubey (Isobel Robertson) and Bert (Jessica Reeves) all performed wonderfully in giving life and dynamic to the play, each performing with wonderfully distinct personalities. Cleave played Jim Bayliss with a wry yet energetic humour, and showed himself to be the voice of reason in a plot governed by chaos and fear. Vourgos played the equally wry, sardonic and fed-up-with-her-husband Sue Bayliss, attracting the laughter of the audience in moments of dark humour. Robertson played Lydia Lubey with a disarming endearment that allowed well-executed breaks from the chaos. McCrone played Frank Lubey with a naive and humorous gumption, giving the play some perfectly timed comedic relief. Reeves played police-obsessed schoolboy Bert with a delightful energy that interrupted moments of tension for some equally perfectly-timed humour. All of these actors performed marvellously and gave the play a sense of depth and realism.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
The Deever family play an exceptionally prominent role in moving the plot forward and their prominence is not lost in their performances. Of the two we’re first introduced to Annie Deever, who is played by Anna Wildgust. Wildgust’s portrayal of Annie as a woman attempting to move forward with her life is filled with an earnestness and showcases an effortlessness in shifting between worry and calm reason. Annie’s brother George Deever is played by Joe Hutson. Juxtaposing Annie’s calmness, Hutson portrayed George with a passion that commanded the room whenever he was onstage and had the audience completely captivated by what was brought.
Finally, the big three: The Kellers. Holy moly. I was completely mesmerized by the performances of the focal family. Megan Lawrie (portraying Kate Keller), Morgan Allen (portraying Joe Keller) and James Stark (portraying Chris Keller) presented their family dynamic in the wake of post-war America with a nuance and extreme versatility. The changes they brought, the ways they controlled emotion and let it out again, moments of tension, moments of relief, tears, smiles. All of it was phenomenal. In a play that focuses so heavily on an inability to grasp reality, these actors understood the very real qualities of their roles and it shows in their talents – they should be insanely proud.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
Another thing to mention here is the intentionality behind the production itself. For one, the utilisation of silence and moments of idle character expression is played up to a perfect degree, allowing the story time to breathe which creates in itself a sense of movement. Another thing to note is the choice made in this production to place the interval at the end of the second act (the original script is a three-act play). In typical productions of this play, the interval occurs after the first act, however in this production, the interval occurs after the major bombshell of a second act. The pay off this creates is a great one, giving the final act a concise brevity full of pure emotion. Everything that happens in this final act is conclusive and full of perfectly crafted tension. The choice to place the interval right before this section is a decision that makes a huge part of the play’s experience. Additionally, the effects of the colour red constantly appearing subtly in the lighting aided greatly in reflecting the sinister undertones boiling beneath the surface of the play’s events. For all the intention and creativity this production showcases, I can hand out only praise for Directors Lily Akers and Saskia Bindloss.
SUSU Theatre Group has created something exceptional here. Everything from performance to production has expressed itself with an intention and passion that is both awe-inspiring and harrowing to watch. If you have the chance to, I would absolutely recommend that you go and watch it. So yes, I’m giving it five stars, but I guess, in a way, these are all my stars. And I guess they are… I guess they are…
The trailer for All My Sons is below:
