Death of a Salesman (Theater Mitu)
Closed 2h 30m
Death of a Salesman (Theater Mitu)
74

Death of a Salesman (Theater Mitu) NYC Reviews and Tickets

74%
(31 Ratings)
Positive
68%
Mixed
29%
Negative
3%
Members say
Ambitious, Great acting, Confusing, Intense, Edgy

About the Show

Theater Mitu brings a hyper-theatrical production of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer-winning drama to BAM, in which human beings become objects, music carries the memory of days long gone, and a life is reduced to a mortgage.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (31)

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446 Reviews | 81 Followers
100
Haunting, Strange, Exquisite

See it if you are open to a deconstruction of western theatre in general.

Don't see it if you often say "that was too weird for me." Read more

TT
146 Reviews | 28 Followers
97
Ambitious, Edgy, Great acting, Quirky, Intense

See it if You like avant garde surreal theatre. New takes on an old classic. Colorful, inventive. Clever props as people manned by puppeteers. Angst.

Don't see it if you don't like surreal twists on classics. Minimalism. Puppets. Masks. You want a standard production in a classic setting. Read more

180 Reviews | 44 Followers
90
Intelligent, Quirky, Ambitious, Delightful, Absorbing

See it if you want to see a classic text treated like a new work with technical brilliance and verve

Don't see it if you're precious about the way people handle "the cannon"

81 Reviews | 25 Followers
90
Resonant, Ambitious, Intense

See it if ..You like classics in avant guard rendition. Puppetry, Japanese Bunraku theatre, one woman band, haunting visuals, heartfelt story.

Don't see it if ..You don't like things odd and prefer realism in the theatre.

665 Reviews | 125 Followers
86
Delightful, Entertaining, Great acting, Edgy, Great staging

See it if You want to be blown away by great acting and staging.

Don't see it if You only wan to see the play in its original format. Read more

317 Reviews | 109 Followers
84
Absorbing, Clever, Enchanting, Quirky, Relevant

See it if You enjoy experimental takes on American classics. You want an exploration of family dynamics.

Don't see it if You want typical theatre, this is highly stylized, using maskwork and puppetry to reimagine the play.

182 Reviews | 31 Followers
80
Clever, Exquisite, Great staging, Refreshing

See it if you'd wanna see a refreshing take of an American classic in a completely different manner and conventions

Don't see it if you have always loved the naturalistic approach of Miller's play

don
506 Reviews | 1005 Followers
80
Absorbing, Clever, Edgy

See it if you want to see a new look at a great classic. The Fisher is a great place for a production. A bit of music and a bit of dance. too.

Don't see it if you are fixed at a certain concept of the play or can no longer tolerate the almost 3 hour plays of yore.

Critic Reviews (6)

The New York Times
July 17th, 2017

"This revival eclipses the classic instead of illuminating it...Director Polendo’s unproductive, experimental staging is mostly just talking to itself, sidelining a larger conversation...The directorial flourishes jam the flow of emotion...By the time Willy is speak-singing sales advice, empathy has fled, and the show feels like the world’s saddest and weirdest production of 'How to Succeed in Business'...The gap between its aims and its peculiar ways of achieving them never gets bridged."
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Theatermania
July 19th, 2017

“A highly stylized and thrilling interpretation...Theater Mitu's revival breathes new life into ‘Salesman'…Polendo and Theater Mitu's nontraditional approach to the material, despite being initially disorienting, suits Miller's memory play…Purists who prefer a straightforward 'Salesman' may balk at Theater Mitu's take. This production, however, performed at a time when our country is taking a hard look at its own delusions, gives Miller's words a modern resonance.”
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CurtainUp
July 18th, 2017

"Biff's farewell speech and the simplicity with which Sullivan performs it are all the more powerful for being set against Mitu's anti-realistic staging, with Polendo's fanciful direction, the stylized performances of his fellow actors, and the changing colors of Ashton's lighting. Nothing in this production is as effective or emotionally involving as Sullivan's confrontation...Mitu's production is for the most adventurous theatergoers."
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Theatre is Easy
July 18th, 2017

"Theater Mitu manages to reinterpret this canonical work into something wholly unique and utterly fascinating by using techniques of experimental and absurdist theatre, combined with elements of Japanese puppetry...These avant-garde elements create a distinct and stylized universe, which would not be successful without the expert skill of director Polendo and his incredibly talented cast...This arresting production artfully brings the Loman family back to where they have always belonged."
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Broadway Blog
July 22nd, 2017

"A wide range of theatrical conventions are used to approach the work...Cumulatively, this makes for a somewhat assaulting production that overshadows Miller’s searing dialogue, which works best when the actors are simply acting...This isn’t to say that all is lost in director Polendo’s experimentation. Repetitive movements that hark back to Chekhov’s psychological gestures add gravitas to moments...While I feel like the company has a visionary style, the substance is lost in translation."
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More Than The Play Blog
July 16th, 2017

"Polendo bestows this American classic with great depth due to his distinctive interpretation...The production is visually stunning, collaboratively conceived, and emotionally impactful...Nestor and Asbell are truly captivating as Willy and Linda Loman...The visual images are potent and riveting, and surprisingly evoke a strong emotional response. This is the genius of this production."
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