Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge” at the Ahmanson Theatre

This doesn’t look good, does it? L-r, Alex Escola (Marco), Catherine Combs (Catherine), Frederick Weller (Eddie), Danny Binstock (the officer), Andrus Nichols (Beatrice), Thomas Jay Ryan (Alfieri), Howard W. Overshown (Louis), and Dave Register (Rodolpho). Photo by Jan Versweyveld

This doesn’t look good, does it? L-r, Alex Escola (Marco), Catherine Combs (Catherine), Frederick Weller (Eddie), Danny Binstock (the officer), Andrus Nichols (Beatrice), Thomas Jay Ryan (Alfieri), Howard W. Overshown (Louis), and Dave Register (Rodolpho). Photo by Jan Versweyveld

“A View from the Bridge” – obscured by clouds (a review)

We often go to the theater for the visceral, but we also go for the visual as well. Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge” is a strong if overly-wrought play, and Ivo van Hove’s take on it has merit, but it’s clear right away that the Ahmanson is the wrong venue. The entire set, spare and devoid of scenery or props, is encased in a compact, modernist cube, tight enough to allow a number of audience members to sit on risers on both the left and right sides of the stage. The effect, presumably intended (scenic and lighting design credit go to Jan Versweyveld), is that of a family under the microscope, or in a boxing ring. After all, the play is, on one important level, about family in all its permutations. But more on this shortly.

The setting, mid-1950s, takes place in Brooklyn’s Red Hook district, and a largely Italian immigrant community. Eddie (Frederick Weller) is a longshoreman married to Beatrice, and they’ve been raising Catherine (Catherine Combs), the orphaned daughter of Beatrice’s sister. As the story opens, Catherine wants to leave school, now that she’s found a job on the waterfront. Uncle Eddie prefers that she stay put, get an education and make something of herself.

That seemingly good intention is undercut by the crux of the play, which is Eddie’s unhealthy desire for Catherine. For her part, Catherine is not only girlishly naive but physically affectionate, often leaping into Eddie’s arms and wrapping her legs around him. She also wears a provocatively short skirt throughout the play that at times all but defies gravity.

Thomas Jay Ryan as Alfieri, Frederick Weller as Eddie, and Catherine Combs as Catherine. Photo by Jan Versweyveld

Thomas Jay Ryan as Alfieri, Frederick Weller as Eddie, and Catherine Combs as Catherine. Photo by Jan Versweyveld

We know that our characters are on a collision course from the very start, and largely because Eddie’s lawyer friend, Alfieri (Thomas Jay Ryan), tells him so. Over and over. Alfieri is the play’s one-man Greek chorus, which every reviewer points out because it’s as clear as day. He narrates the story as a tragedy that’s already happened, in the “chronicle of a death foretold” mode.

“A View from the Bridge” then kicks up a notch when two relatives from Italy arrive and, because family is family, Eddie takes them in. Marco, the older brother (Alex Esola), has three children and a wife back home, and he wants nothing more than to work hard and to take care of them. The younger brother, Rodolpho (Dave Register), seems no less willing to work hard and to succeed. In some ways they represent what America stands for. However, being illegal immigrants, they do need to be careful.

It’s clear to the audience that Rodolpho is going to upset Eddie’s apple cart. He’s a big, well-built, good-looking guy. And so, from this point on, it’s a fairly unambiguous story, worlds will collide, and somebody’s gonna get hurt. All this is in the dialogue and stage directions, which is why the droning soundscape and the slow drum tapping are unnecessary. Put another way, the psychology is embedded in the drama, and it can be argued that the s-l-o-w-i-n-g down of one of the final scenes is a little stilted.

Alex Escola as Marco, Catherine Combs as Catherine, Dave Register As Rodolpho, and (hmm, what’s he thinking?) Frederick Weller as Eddie. Photo by Jan Versweyveld

Alex Escola as Marco, Catherine Combs as Catherine, Dave Register As Rodolpho, and (hmm, what’s he thinking?) Frederick Weller as Eddie. Photo by Jan Versweyveld

It can also be argued that Eddie self-immolates. He’s a pressure cooker, packed with desire and jealousy and frustration, and nothing, not words from his wife nor advice from his lawyer, will make any difference. He says repeatedly that he wants respect, but respect is something one has to deserve, not demand. He tells himself, and tries to convince others, that Rodolpho is “not right” (meaning gay) because he sings, can cook, and is blond. Then he claims that Rodolpho only wants to marry Catherine so he can stay legally in America. And so the boxing ring analogy is perfect, and Eddie ends up cornered. That’s when the gloves come off and the fight gets nasty. The ending, however, is more wistful than brutal.

In a smaller and tighter venue (or perhaps for those sitting on the stage; I wasn’t), the play will undoubtedly be more effective, but here cutting edge seems cost-cutting, and from midway in the audience (and, remember, the Ahmanson is cavernous) the play sounds too far away and looks like the cast is in a rehearsal room. Too bad, because it’s a very good cast, and Weller, as a man tormented, makes a solid impression.

In short, this production, which received Tony Awards for Best Revival and Best Direction, tries a different tack but in its present incarnation is a mixed success.

A View from the Bridge is onstage at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles in the Music Center. Performances, Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., plus Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Dark Mondays. Additional show at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13. Closes with the 1 p.m. show on Sunday, Oct. 16. Tickets, $25 to $125. Call (213) 972-4400 or go to CenterTheatreGroup.org. ER

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