North West Theatre

The Price

Arthur Miller
10 Mar 11 to 02 Apr 11
Octagon Theatre

In the attic of a soon-to-be-demolished house in 1968 New York, two brothers meet for the first time in sixteen years to sell off the possessions left by their deceased father.

Victor had wanted to be a scientist, but settled for life as a cop on the New York streets, while Walter left home to become an eminent surgeon. Reunited, they set about dealing with the pain and misunderstanding that lies at the heart of their relationship, and the sacrifices they have both made.

David Thacker uses Miller to get The Price right

Few would dispute that Arthur Miller is simply one of the towering figures of modern theatre. But if asked to name his greatest works, most people would probably say A View From The Bridge or Death Of A Salesman, or perhaps The Crucible or All My Sons.
City Life

...beautifully realised in Patrick Connellan’s design... Tom Mannion is superb as Victor... Esther, done to a turn by Suzan Sylvester... Kenneth Alan Taylor, the man for all seasons in Lancashire theatreland, gets the flickering chutzpah of this nonagenarian New Yoik Jew exactly right
The Stage
Act 1 is really long winded and quite boring... The second Act, however, builds nicely upon the back story... a typically solid Octagon Theatre production with the claustrophobic set designed by Patrick Conellan... adds a sense of oppression to the building climax which Director David Thacker handles deftly... Colin Stinton delivers a more secure performance than Tom Mannion who... never seems to settle on a characterisation and also fluffs several lines... Suzan Sylvester grows in strength as Victor’s wife, Esther, but this is an underwritten role... Kenneth Alan Taylor is superb... overall, quite disappointing and lacklustre.
What's On Stage (Rating: 2/5)
...a clear comedy character in Solomon... Kenneth Alan Taylor, whose charismatic presence lights up the stage... Tom Mannion doesn't appear to engage fully with the character in the first act... but he settles into the role much more after the interval... a good, solid performance from Suzan Sylvester... an excellent performance from Colin Stinton... [David] Thacker's production has many moments of great humour and tension, but there are times when the pace feels very slack and the delivery of the dialogue quite hesitant... an interesting production but not one that really sets the stage alight.
British Theatre Guide
...[Tom] Mannion’s portrayal... is sensitive and moving... Kenneth Alan Taylor was a delight as antique dealer Gregory Solomon... Suzan Sylvester grated... although that may have been intentional... isn’t the liveliest production, but it’s worth persevering though the slow-burning first half... A subtle critique of the American Dream, it creeps up on the viewer, shattering in true Miller fashion with a gut wrenching climax.
City Life (Rating: 4/5)
...absorbing and powerful revival... In the second half... the drama ignites and then fully explodes... Tom Mannion as Victor and Colin Stinton as Walter are outstanding... Solid support is provided by Suzan Sylvester as Victor’s wife and Kenneth Alan Taylor as an old, if somewhat slightly over played, Jewish antique dealer... Expert storytelling and two strong central performances combine to create a night of unmissable drama.
The Public Reviews (Rating: 4/5)
...Tom Mannion gives a bewildered account of a lowly police officer... David Thacker... delivers this fiscal parable with the authority of a preacher with a direct line to God... a peerless comic performance from Kenneth Alan Taylor...
The Guardian (Rating: 5/5)
...an impeccable attention to detail, and with a brace of first-class performances... The genius of the piece is to show us not only how our lives are governed by myriad political circumstances and ethical considerations but also by all kinds of self-made fictions... Almost stealing the show is the shrewd 89-year-old Jewish antiques dealer... excellent work from Suzan Sylvester as the ever more exasperated Esther and Colin Stinton as the wary Walter. Tom Mannion is on top form as Victor, full of clenched emotion...
Daily Telegraph (Rating: 5/5)