Arthur Miller's
The Price
Review by Ross Anthony

Amidst the clatter of everyday life, and even everyday entertainment, it was a pleasure to settle into the two-people-in-a-room dialogues that intimate this play. Cal Bartlett perfectly brings to life the play's main character -- a retirement age police officer. His physical stature, haircut are dead on. The first act consists almost entirely of these intimate two person dialogues. The acting from all is strong, accented with nice pauses, dynamics. These actors make their written personas resonate live on stage. It doesn't hurt that they've got great real dialogue from the script with which to work.

I was completely compelled without a single explosion, site gag or loud thud. That said, the first act ends on a more traditional dramatic twist, which serves to open a second act that more often than not has three or four people in the room. A few times that fourth person cluttered an otherwise nicely built tension. I'm sure the hope was that the comedic releif would enrich the play. At least for me, it did in the first act, but not so much in the second.

Over all, it's a very sweet, engaging piece. Miller avoids tieing the conflict to resolution too nicely in the conclusion. And he seems to delight in braiding a sort of melancholy into moments of hopefulness. The play left me considering the many choices I've made in my life, and the many I have yet to make. And left me with a wish that those in relationships of family or otherwise will be brave enough to broach difficult topics before they erode into chasms.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --


  • The Price. Copyright © 2010.
  • Based on the February 19th, 2010 performance at Theatre West. Written by Authur Miller. Directed by Stu Berg. Produced by Mark Travis. Presented by Theatre West. Starring Cal Bartlett, Marvin Kaplan, Don Moss, Dianne Travis. www.theatrewest.org

Grade..........................B+ (2.5/4)


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Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186. Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow.


Last Modified: Sunday, 21-Feb-2010 16:00:14 PST