“Wife of a Salesman”

[rating=4] One of my favorite Arthur Miller plays is “Death of a Salesman”.I love watching this man, who probably was Miller’s father, and his family. It is what might be called a “man’s play”, centering on Willie and his son’s rather than the one woman who mattered  Linda. In a new play, a World Premiere at Writers Theatre we get a look at a work that takes us in a different direction. The play is titled, “Wife of a Salesman” written by Eleanor Burgess, and it takes a look at Willie’s wife, learning that her suspicions were real leaving home and heading to Boston to confront the “other woman” in her husbands life.

This story is a kind of “what if” drama. We do not know that Willie had a girlfriend while on the road, only that he was lonely.  Let’s say a wife thinks her husband does have something going, perhaps finding a trinket in the glove box of a car that they both use. Would she seek out the woman who has “done her wrong”?. In fact, is the woman to blame ,or her husband?

This is a brilliant work that takes us to a place we have never dared visit. It is definitely a women’s play, having these two women, , the wife ( handled to perfection by Kate Fry) and the Mistress (deftly handled by Amanda Drinkall) confront each other, talk about the losses in their lives as well as the loves. We watch them turn from mortal enemies to friends and at the end, well you’ll see for yourself.

The play runs about 100 minutes with no intermission. FYI- it turns out that this is also a play within a play, with each of the actresses expressing personal items that have an affect on their playing the roles they are playing. It is supposed to be a play that works toward allowing women to grow, but the ladies are held back by the stage manager/director, Jim ( Rom Barkhordar) who keeps taking things back to the fact that gender identity as we know it today is more than he can handle.

Smoothly directed by Jo Bonney, on a creative set by Courtney O’Neill , we are in a studio apartment in Boston. There is a bed, a kitchenette, a chaise lounge/sofa and a telephone table. The radio is a key prop (Rae Watson has done amazing work with the props, including a phone that young people will not recognize as a phone). The radio voices are handled by Karmann Bajuyo Dekyl Ronge ( who also plays Angela, a stagehand) and Mr. Barkhordar. There is an unusual event that will blow your mind- we hear a cell phone go off. Most of the audience members reached for their coats, purses or whatever as the play takes place in the 1950’s , SO- turns out it was one of the actresses, with a sick child. We are watching dress rehearsal in today’s world, so cell phones do exist.

The questions that arise are simple. Was  Linda to good a wife? Was she not enough of a wife? Did Willie need more than she could give? If she left him, could or could she find another love? Can his mistress leave him? Is she with child? If so, would she want to be married to him? The ladies talk about a lot of things. Each has a cause and effect and as their time together goes on, they start to care about one another, but in a way that is not 100%.

I think some audience members became confused about the play within a play concept and the actual time. They also would be lost f they did not know “Death of a Salesman”. I liked every minute of it. I have loved Ms Fry on any stage since I first saw her do a mini-version of “My Fair Lady” many years ago. She was an amazing “Eliza” and I fell in love with her work that day. I never miss a play she is in, and I for one feel that she is one of our finest actresses. Ms Drinkall is new to Writers and handled herself well. These two women showed the power of women even though they were told to tone it down. After all, the subject of the play is gender identity and the power of women, so let it be! The way these ladies play off each other is a wonderful experience to watch unfold as the story weaves in and out of play and play -within- play.

“Wife of a Salesman” will continue at Writers Theatre through April 3rd with performances as follows:

Wednesdays  3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays  7:30 p.m.

Fridays  7:30 p.m.

Saturdays  3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sundays 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Tickets range from $35 and are available at the box office located at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe

by phone at 847-242-6000 or

online at www.writerstheatre.org

Plenty of free parking and there are wonderful dining spots within walking distance. The train stops there as well.

“Wife of a Salesman” was commissioned and developed thru Writers Theatre in partnership with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Wife of a Salesman”.