Reviews: Salesman in China, Nabucco, and more

Salesman in China (Rating: ✭✭✭✭), about an historic production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman in Beijing, directed by the playwright himself, is so smart, layered and richly suggestive that it warrants repeat viewings. Which I’m sure it will get. I expect this impressive world premiere Stratford Festival staging, produced in association with the National Arts Centre, will be around for some time in extensions, remounts and other productions.

In 1983, Miller (Tom McCamus) and his third wife, photographer Inge Morath (Sarah Orenstein), travel to China to collaborate with famed actor Ying Ruocheng (Singaporean artist Adrian Pang 彭耀順) on a production of Miller’s most famous play. Ying is set to play Willy Loman.

It’s been a few years since the end of the Cultural Revolution, and the Chinese citizens, especially its artists, are dealing with its fallout; a decade earlier, only a handful of Communist party-approved staged works were allowed to be performed. Miller, meanwhile, seems to be seeking some creative rejuvenation. His most productive years behind him — at this point Salesman is 35 years old — he is tired of being known as the former husband of movie star Marilyn Monroe.

The classic play, which Miller says is about fathers and sons, hits home personally for both men. Yang’s academic father abandoned him and his family during the Communist revolution, leaving a permanent hole in his life; for his part, Miller is still haunted by one of his sons, born with Down’s Syndrome and committed to an institution he’s never visited.

Within this context, we watch as Miller, working through an interpreter, tries to direct the play for artists who can’t quite grasp the concepts of things like travelling salesmen and life insurance. There are other cultural differences as well. One young Chinese actress is hesitant to play a prostitute, and so wants to hide behind a blonde wig and prosthetic nose, which Miller forbids.

Playwrights Jovanni Sy 施崇梵 and Leanna Brodie 白仁耐 round out the play with fascinating secondary characters. Ying’s wife, Wu Shiliang (Jo Chim 詹翠珊), was a noted actress who gave up her career during the revolution, and now understands what’s at stake for her family in this cross-cultural exchange. Watchful Communist bureaucrats attempt to ensure that the production adheres to government principles and doesn’t bring shame to them. And the actors playing Willy’s wife and sons take on more dimensions as rehearsals go on.

The result is a play that explores ideas of artistic freedom and collaborative storytelling — both themes brought up by this production itself. Under Sy’s direction, the script — in Mandarin and English — is helpfully translated into the other language with sub- and surtitles (reading them might be a challenge, however, depending on where you’re seated).

The most effective scenes show the two cultures coming up against each other; during a preview of his production, Miller squirms in his seat while patrons he feels are disrespectful eat and talk.

Joanna Yu’s 余頌恩 clever set offers up several levels and perspectives, allowing Sy to fluidly suggest other time periods and locales. And Sophie Tang’s 汤语菲 lighting helps orient us, too.

While the play runs approximately two and a half hours, it’s so engaging and rich with ideas it could even be longer. I think there’s more to explore, especially around Miller’s current life, which seems underdeveloped here. It would also be helpful to see and understand what the tensions between the two nations were in the early 80s.

Still, this is a major achievement, performed by an exceptional cast. Phoebe Hu 胡馨勻 and Steven Hao 郝邦宇 wring maximum emotion from their roles as actors playing Linda and Biff Loman, while chameleon Derek Kwan 關顯揚impresses in a number of roles, including Ying’s father and a street performer who opens the second act in a marvellous way.

McCamus brings nuance and depth to his slightly underwritten part, as do Orenstein and Chim. It’s Pang, however, who grounds the production with his deeply felt and moving performance as Ying. Let’s hope the actor, who’s the co-artistic director of Pangdemonium Theatre, does more work here.

Salesman in China runs at the Avon Theatre, 99 Downie, Stratford, until October 26. See info here

Operatic war horse

The fact that this is the first time in its 74-year history that the Canadian Opera Company has mounted Verdi’s Nabucco (Rating: ✭✭✭) is telling. Despite some fine music, including the stirring choral number “Va, pensiero,” it’s just not a very good opera.

The title character lacks weight and depth, a key plot point with the more interesting (psychologically and musically) character happens offstage, and overall there’s a lack of cohesion between the scenes.

It’s clearly an early work; Verdi and his librettists would go on to handle similar themes — political tyranny, love triangles, filial betrayal — in more compelling ways later on.

I’m not sorry I saw it, however, especially when the music is so characterfully conducted by Paolo Carignani. And director Katherine M. Carter does a fine job using design (sets by Michael Yergan, costumes by Jane Greenwood) to suggest the shifting power dynamics between the Babylonians and Israelites in 6th century BC Jerusalem. I particularly like the use of a staircase seen from the side in the second act to show the changing fortunes of two key characters.

Mary Elizabeth Williams handles the fiendishly difficult role of Abigaille with aplomb, while Roland Wood and Simon Lim bring suitable dramatic gravitas to their contrasting rulers Nabucco and Zaccaria. Rihab Chaieb and Matthew Cairns make the most of their underwritten parts as lovers from warring factions.

The superb COC chorus, under Sandra Horst, brings that famous number to life with nuanced shading, powerful dynamics and effective choreography. What makes this scene work so beautifully is not just the music but its message of hope and optimism even in the difficult circumstances. A timeless theme if there ever was one.

Nabucco runs to October 25 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen West. See info here

Ticket giveaway

One of the most surprising discoveries from Fringe 2022 was Dead Broke, Will King’s suspenseful play about a group of Gen Zers in a (possibly) haunted abandoned building. Now it’s been expanded and is back for a run in the suitably intimate incubator space at the Theatre Centre.

So Sumi is giving away a pair of tickets to the show, which gets a special Halloween preview on October 31 and then runs to November 10. To win them, please answer the following question: What is the name of the collective producing the show?

Please send answers to SoSumiContact@gmail.com by Sunday, October 20, noon ET. Put Dead Broke Contest in the subject heading. Only the winner will be contacted the next day.

Keep reading So Sumi. I’ll also also be giving away copies of books by two well-known artists: one’s an Oscar-winning actor, the other’s a Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning comedy legend.