I can’t say I went into this knowing Miller’s 1994 play set in 1938 New York; and yet, I don’t feel as though this production showed me anything new to justify the remount. While timely in its interrogation of what it means to be Jewish, and its consideration of how far away events affect us, it nonetheless felt none of the urgency I would have expected from this play in today’s climate. The set design tried to tie it to today — a modern water cooler and contemporary newspapers mixed in with old ones and 1930’s style clothing and hair styles. The anachronism of the design was an interesting approach, however the performances were clearly set in the period, so missed the opportunity to link this way, too. In a way, it felt like the play still lived in 1990s misogyny representing 1930s ideals. . . but without any 2026 perspective on these views.
The performances also felt uneven; at times it felt like the actors were in separate plays, and often a bit shouty. While other of Fein’s productions have been celebrated, I struggle to think positively about this one.