Perth Theatre’s first touring production in years opened on Friday. Jennifer Cosgrove caught up with actor Ron Emslie, who is taking on the pivotal lead role in Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman.
According to Ron, no actor in his right mind would turn down an opportunity to play Willy Loman, the complex lead character in Death Of A Salesman.
“It’s a mammoth role a joy to play but terrifying, because of the amount of learning and the amount of detail,” he says.
The 57-year-old from Ayrshire was getting ready for Friday’s opening performance of the new production directed by Ian Grieve, which will also tour to two other venues in Scotland. Described by the New York Times as “one of the finest dramas in the whole range of American theatre”, US playwright Miller’s 1949 work has become a classic modern-day tragedy about a 63-year-old man imprisoned by his own dreams, failures and desires.
“In Willy’s case, he has a complete belief system to which his whole life is dedicated, but it crumbles because it is built on a premise that won’t hold up,” Ron says. “If he was still working, still on salary, if his life was going reasonably well, he could probably have kept going but he’s just so tired he hasn’t got the mental and physical energy to keep the lie alive any more.
“The American dream is based on the right to pursue happiness but there is no guarantee it will be achieved. You are given the right to chase your dream. The play is written about a time when America was going through massive, post-war changes. We had the same in this country when consumerism suddenly came in due to the massive advances in technology during the war period. All at once, every house had a fridge and the advertising men had started working.
“Here, you’ve got a salesman in a society that has gone consumer mad, but sales are done on the radio, on the television and the newspapers not done by a guy carrying his wares around so his whole world has changed in a very short space of time.”
Death Of A Salesman has captivated audiences since it first appeared on Broadway, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Lee J. Cobb as Willy. It remains startlingly relevant to this day, especially with the recession and society’s apparently unflinching desire to pursue fame, wealth and materialistic goods at any cost.
“There are parallels. People are under that pressure. This is about a man paying his bills, trying to pay his mortgage the irony is, the mortgage is paid the day after he dies and he doesn’t get to taste that freedom,” Ron goes on. “He says, ‘work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it.’ Willy is looking for someone to blame; and we are too just look at the banking crisis.”
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Ron has had a long career in acting, but has never starred in Death Of A Salesman before. As a younger man, he could have been cast as either of Willy’s sons, Biff or Hap, and he agrees that in order to play Willy Loman you have to have been “around for a while”.
“Willy’s age is given in the play he’s 63. I’m just a bit younger, but not much. They would have to cast someone around my age because it has to be believable. The minute you put any kind of doubt into the audience’s head, you’re just never going to get them back.”
Ron has worked extensively in theatre all over the UK, from the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre Company, to the Tyne and Wear Theatre Company in Newcastle, and the Theatre Royal in Plymouth. In the West End, he has appeared as Judas in Godspell, Norman Petty in the original production of Buddy, and in Piaf with Elaine Paige.
On television, he has played leading characters such as Chief Inspector Grant Morys in ITV’s The Bill, and Howard Bailey in the comedy series Dr Willoughby alongside Joanna Lumley and Brian Protheroe. His films include Ready When You Are, Mr McGill, also starring Bill Nighy and Tom Courtney.
Originally from Ayrshire, he lives in London and admits to having done little work in his home nation, forging his career mainly south of the border. As a result, people often assume he is English.
But he says Salesman’s audiences can expect to see him giving it his all.
“At my age, there is absolutely no point in coming out on stage and being ‘good’ I’ve been doing that for 35 years. I’m not going to get many more chances to do something this grand so, for me, this should be a defining moment.
“I’m old enough now that failing isn’t going to destroy me. I don’t have the fear of going out and being awful, which a young actor might have. In some ways, it is liberating.”Death Of A Salesman runs at Perth Theatre from until February 26. It then moves to His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen at the beginning of March and ends at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. More information at www.horsecross.co.ukRon has had a long career in acting, but has never starred in Death Of A Salesman before. As a younger man, he could have been cast as either of Willy’s sons, Biff or Hap, and he agrees that in order to play Willy Loman you have to have been “around for a while”.
“Willy’s age is given in the play he’s 63. I’m just a bit younger, but not much. They would have to cast someone around my age because it has to be believable. The minute you put any kind of doubt into the audience’s head, you’re just never going to get them back.”
Ron has worked extensively in theatre all over the UK, from the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre Company, to the Tyne and Wear Theatre Company in Newcastle, and the Theatre Royal in Plymouth. In the West End, he has appeared as Judas in Godspell, Norman Petty in the original production of Buddy, and in Piaf with Elaine Paige.
On television, he has played leading characters such as Chief Inspector Grant Morys in ITV’s The Bill, and Howard Bailey in the comedy series Dr Willoughby alongside Joanna Lumley and Brian Protheroe. His films include Ready When You Are, Mr McGill, also starring Bill Nighy and Tom Courtney.
Originally from Ayrshire, he lives in London and admits to having done little work in his home nation, forging his career mainly south of the border. As a result, people often assume he is English.
But he says Salesman’s audiences can expect to see him giving it his all.
“At my age, there is absolutely no point in coming out on stage and being ‘good’ I’ve been doing that for 35 years. I’m not going to get many more chances to do something this grand so, for me, this should be a defining moment.
“I’m old enough now that failing isn’t going to destroy me. I don’t have the fear of going out and being awful, which a young actor might have. In some ways, it is liberating.”Death Of A Salesman runs at Perth Theatre from until February 26. It then moves to His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen at the beginning of March and ends at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. More information at www.horsecross.co.uk