Review: The Price by Arthur Miller, until August 25
The Price Bath Theatre Royal
All writing has some degree of autobiography and with The Price, Arthur Miller certainly knew whence he came. The wealthy father of protagonist brothers, Victor and Walter, lost everything in the financial crash of 1929, as did Miller’s father. There probably ends the similarity, but it must have been the germ of the plot. What isn’t usually in any Miller plot though is humour, and in the first act we get laughs by the bucketful, most courtesy of David Suchet, almost unrecognisable as Jewish furniture dealer Gregory Solomon telling Victor, “I’m registered, I’m licensed, I’m even vaccinated.” Victor and Walter Franz, brothers, must meet to sell the contents of their father’s apartment. Since his death 16 years previously the apartment has been left alone, but now the building is due to be demolished hence the clearance. Victor arranges for Solomon to assess the contents and fix a price. Thus the pair meet and the bargaining begins as Solomon explains why the expensive furniture is too big and too solid to sell on for modern buyers. “A man sits down at this table he not only knows he’s married, he knows he’s got to stay married,” the dealer explains. “Every time you open your mouth the price seems to go down,” says Victor. Victor’s wife arrives, disappointed that Victor is still in his police uniform when they are due to go out for a meal later complaining, “We go out so rarely why must everyone know your salary when we do?” After their father lost his money, mother having died, Victor stayed on to look after him while Walter went off to become a successful, wealthy surgeon. The brothers never met again or spoke for the 16 years since their father died so in the second act they meet to discuss the dispersal of the apartments contents. Following the early humour we get the real Miller intensity as the brothers and Victor’s wife Esther get down to blame, expectations and explanations. Solomon, played to the rather stereotyped hilt by Suchet, takes something of a back seat now as the family skeletons and resentments come out of the closet. Brendan Coyle as the apparently put upon policeman is brilliant, never off stage, and really the star of this particular production. If anyone in the rapt audience had dropped a pin during the second act it would have been heard. Gripping stuff from all concerned on a great shambolic set. If you’re going to see any theatre this year then this should be on your list. If you weren’t going then then change your mind, you won’t regret it.