Even though Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge provokes thought more than it does entertain, the phenomenal acting of Ohio University's School of Theatre students keep this show alive.
Set in New York, the story is about Eddie (Alex Dittmer), a Brooklyn longshoreman, who has a hard time letting his niece, Catherine, go. Catherine (Lauren Bauer) falls in love with Italian immigrant Rodolpho (Nick Stofocik) while Eddie struggles with his self-delusion and unrecognized feelings for his niece.
The acting was the best part of the show as most characters were superb. It was easy to believe they were their parts, not just acting on stage.
The set, a backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge behind a dingy apartment was created by Ryan Trupp and perfectly reflected the mood of the show. The walls of the house tilt at odd angles to make the house slightly disproportional, making the set simplistic yet artful.
The set combined with Meredith Neal's excellent costume design did a great job setting up the story. The colorful dresses worn by female characters and the rough warehouse outfits for the longshoremen give a familiar 1950's feel.
Teal light streams across the stage strategically to set the mood. The stage is creatively lit, using a ceiling fan and a desk lamp to illuminate the corner.
Although ending on a high note, the acting started out weak. But for the most part, it continued to build throughout the play. Eddie was convincing while yelling at his wife, Beatrice (Allison McLemore). His anger was so intense that his face turned red at times. The interaction between them was excellent, especially when they fought. Beatrice's tears and emotional grief displayed not only in her expression but her body language as well.
Some of the stage combat scenes were not as well performed. When Marco (Rob Riley) and Eddie fought with a knife, the plunges and throws were not believable and could have been better coordinated.
Other character interactions could have been better. The play focused a lot on Catherine and Eddie's relationship and how loving they were toward each other, but their actions on stage were stiff, and their hand gestures seemed forced.
Another aspect that needed work was the accents. Dittmer and McLemore kept Brooklyn accents pretty well, but Bauer's faded during the play and the accent of the narrator, Alfieri, (Nathan Whitmer) was barely there.
In the end, A View from the Bridge was done well and was highly enjoyable, with only slight flaws preventing it from being completely convincing.
A View from the Bridge runs Feb. 11 to 14 in the Elizabeth Evens Baker Theater, Kantner Hall
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Cynthia Becker
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