A View From the Bridge premiered in its final, two-act form in 1956, the same year its author, Arthur Miller, refused to name names at a hearing held by the House Un-American Activities Committee—part of HUAC’s long and sordid effort to expose “the communist influence” on show business. The U.S. government had already been harassing Miller for a while by then, having, among other things, denied him a passport for a trip to see a Belgian production of The Crucible. During the hearing Miller was asked who was present at certain red gatherings he’d attended in New York a decade earlier. His reply earned him a contempt citation. “I could not use the name of another person,” he said, “and bring trouble on him.”
Eddie’s unacknowledged passion reaches its crisis when two of Beatrice’s Italian cousins, brothers Marco and Rodolpho, arrive by ship as illegal immigrants—”submarines” in the play’s parlance—and board with the Carbones. Marco (Brandon Espinoza, as quiet as stone) is a focused sort, interested in nothing but working hard, staying out of trouble, and sending home the money that will keep his wife and kids from starvation. Rodolpho, though, is young and single and possessed of an ebullient sweetness (nicely embodied by Daniel Abeles). He sings, he likes to dance. It’s only natural that Catherine would find him attractive.
Through 10/15: Thu 2 and 7:30 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 2 and 7:30 PM (2 PM only 10/15); also Tue 10/3, 7:30 PM Goodman Theatre 170 N. Dearborn 312-443-3800goodmanthetre.org $34-$97
