Ivo Van Hoves visionary new production of All My Sons comes to Wyndham's Theatre this winter. Arthur Millers seminal play about a man who makes a difficult decision during wartime to support his family, and the ramifications that unravel during peacetime, is as relevant and powerful as ever. This revival of the classic stars Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Paapa Essiedu. You won't want to miss this powerful examination of the American Dream performed by a stellar cast - book today! What is the play All My Sons about?
Its 1947, and Joe and Kate Keller are trying to get their lives back on track after a turbulent wartime. The war was profitable for Joe, a highly respected self-made businessman, but their youngest son Chris still bears the guilt of combat and their eldest son Larry is missing in action. When Ann, Larrys fiance and the daughter of Joes ex-business partner, arrives at their door one morning after a storm, she brings with her an explosive piece of information: her father has been arrested for criminal manufacturing practices during the war.
The news rocks the family and brings into question Joes involvement. What was sown in wartime must be reaped in peace, and the consequences of Joes actions soon come to light, triggering a series of revelations that will change the Kellers lives forever.
All My Sons first premiered on Broadway in 1947. Miller was inspired by a real-life story of corrupt business practices during the war, which he spotted in a newspaper article. It was Millers last ditch effort at writing a hit play when his first play closed after just four performances, and he vowed to find another line of work if All My Sons also flopped. Luckily, the show was a success, winning two Tony Awards and a Drama Critics Circle Award, and Miller remains one of Americas most vital and celebrated playwrights.
All My Sons is a powerful critique of the dark heart of the American Dream, and in part contributed to Miller being interrogated by the House Un-American Activities Committee during the 1950s, a McCarthiest panel investigating those they suspected of communism. This new production brings the innovation and avant-garde sensibilities of Ivo Van Hove to a show that remains prescient to this day.
