ALL MY SONS

Directed by Ed Wilhelms

October 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17*, 22, 23, 2010

Mapleton Hall,, 1305 Mapleton Avenue, Suffield CT

Doors open 7:00 PM. Curtain 8:00 PM

*October 17 Matinee: Doors open 1:00 PM. Curtain 2:00 PM

$12.00 opening night. $17.00 all other performances

Tickets

800-289-6148 or860-668-0837

Order online at www.suffieldplayers.org

Reviewed by Donna Bailey-Thompson

All My Sons may be 58 years old since its Broadway debut in January 1947 but it is – unfortunately – as timely today when it comes to war profiteering, avarice, and denial.

If Arthur Miller were living today, who knows if he would re-write the first half of the first act. The exposition (back story) seems interminable. One or two small roles might be cut. But once the actors have lines that propel the story forward and the need to deal with the nitty-gritty of the present is established, Miller’s innate talent takes command and voila! after a protracted labor, a baby is born.

It’s August 1947. World War II ended two years earlier. Joe Keller owns a factory that during the war made airplane cylinder heads: a damaged batch caused the death of 21 fighter pilots. Keller let his partner Steve Deever take the blame. Joe was cleared of any charges while Steve was sent to jail. The neighbors believe Joe is guilty; his wife Kate knows he is. She’s preoccupied with the fantasy their son Larry did not die when his plane crashed three years earlier, due to enemy action, not damaged cylinder heads. Chris, a surviving son who also served in the war, works with his father whom he idolizes. He and Ann Deever who was his brother’s girl have been corresponding for years and have fallen in love and want to marry. Because the Air Force hasn’t confirmed Larry’s death, Kate insists Ann is still Larry’s girl. After Ann’s brother, George, visits their father in jail, he believes that Joe Keller set his father up to take the fall.

There are injections of humor in this dark drama. When Joe and Kate bicker about the garbage, he justifies throwing out anything in a bag that looks like it might contain garbage by saying, “I don’t like garbage in the house!” and Kate snaps back, “Then don’t eat!” When Chris gives Ann a poor excuse of a kiss, he takes a step back to declare, “I’m going to make you so happy!” to which Ann retorts, “Not like that, you aren’t!

New faces appear in this Suffield Players’ production. Director Ed Wilhelms brings an impressive list of credits. Zak Kidd as Bert has a winning stage presence. Ursula A. Nowik as the neighbor Lydia Lubey has experience acting, directing, designing costumes that complement her BA in theater. Michael Reilly’s George contends with strong emotions triggered by learning the truth about his father’s imprisonment.

After an absence of ten years, Marge Patefield is new again; she soars as the fiercely protective matriarch, Kate Keller. Robert Lunde (kindly Dr. Jim Bayliss) and Amy Rucci (poison-tongue Sue Bayliss) represent ill-matched marriages. Long-time Suffield Players’ chameleon Dana T. Ring is convincing (of course) as a dabbler in charting horoscopes. As Ann Deever, Suffield regular Rayah Martin is a coquette, alarmist, secret-keeper, and more.

The play’s most gripping moments are between veteran actor, director, set designer Konrad Rogowski as Joe Keller and newcomer Shaun O’Keefe making his Suffield Players’ debut as Chris Keller who is stunned, heartbroken, when he realizes his father’s greed kept him from preventing the shipment of the deadly cylinder heads. Rogowski’s Joe, desperate to win back his son’s respect, spouts excuses that dig his hole deeper. Trapped by his own words, knowing he has lost both his sons, he crumples, as if made of paper mache.

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