Metcalf: "Death of a Salesman"

 Lisa Kudrow gave an interview recently about auditioning. She said that auditions are frequently brutal for actors, because the actors are focused on the director. ("Does he like me? What does she think of me?") Kudrow's suggestion is simple: Just do the job. Forget that anyone is observing you.

When I was in high school, I was puzzled by Charley's observation in "Death of a Salesman." Having sent his son to argue before the Supreme Court, Charley says, "I never cared about anything. That was my ticket to success." Now I understand what Charley means. He has removed his ego from his work. He has shown up and done his job in an efficient way--and he has used his actual mental and emotional energy to pursue his hobbies. Missteps at work have not had a seismic impact on Charley--because work is just work. Charley's sense of self-worth is not linked with the things that occur at the office.

The elegant plot of "Death of a Salesman" builds to two crucial meetings: Willy is going to ask his boss to find space in "the NY office," and Biff is going to ask a former acquaintance for a desirable white-collar position. What actually occurs is memorable. Willy begins screaming with self-pity--and his young boss coolly produces termination papers. Biff quickly apprehends that his acquaintance is now a stranger; immediately defeated, Biff steals a fountain pen and runs down eleven flights of stairs. 

Something I'd forgotten is that this is also a "mystery" play. It's clear that a traumatic event occurred in a Boston hotel room--Biff was going to turn his life around, and he went to see his father in Boston, and everything went to shit. But why? In the present, Willy is pushed and shoved until he forces himself to relive the Boston memory. It's not that Willy advised Biff *against* a crucial month-long visit to summer school. In fact, Willy said all the right lines. The problem is that Biff also caught Willy shtupping a secretary. Willy's actions spoke louder than his words. Biff quickly apprehended that his father was in deep "psychological trouble"--and if you're a teenager, it's hard to make good decisions for yourself when you see that your own parent is in distress.

I expected the star to be Laurie Metcalf--and she was tremendous--but the star is really the play itself. It's a well-oiled machine. I think Naveen Kumar is brave to point out that Nathan Lane isn't quite right for his role--and Kumar is smart to point out that Lane is still more than watchable. I thought the actual death scene was a bit too abstract--I like to see blood and guts on a stage. Still, I had a great time.

It's fun to imagine Metcalf winning two Tony Awards in one year. I don't think an actor has ever done this. It would be strange--but it's not inconceivable.