Theatre Review: Death of a Salesman

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Theatre this good needs to be supported – a breath-taking and emotional production that has you hanging on every word

Presented by: GWB and Andrew Henry in association with the Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed: 27 September, 2026

Run, don’t walk, to see this incredible piece of theatre. Death of a Salesman is biting, confronting, thought-provoking and takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. This incredible cast has added an extra layer to this already complex work. The way the cast work with each other and with Arthur Miller’s text is an absolute treat.

It is no wonder that Death of a Salesman has won such a long list of awards. The original Broadway production won a Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards, and every revival since has followed in its footsteps. This current production, a remount of the 2023/2024 production (that didn’t make it to Adelaide), is simply sensational.

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman first premiered in 1949 in New York and has gone on to be one of the most performed plays of all time. It is told through memories, dreams, montages and arguments of the protagonist Willy Loman. Loman is a traveling salesman who is extremely unhappy with his life and appears to be slipping into early stages of dementia. This two-act play runs at just over three hours, but you are engrossed from the very start — you don’t even notice the length. 

Little did Arthur Miller know when he wrote Salesman over seventy years ago, the themes explored in the show would still speak volumes to today’s society. Death of a Salesman is heavy with content, but it has immense heart, diving head first into themes around the toxic pressure of success, self-worth and the emotional toll of modern work and burnout. It also looks strongly at generational pressures and family dynamics.

This production has been impeccably directed by Neil Armfield AO. A great deal of care, thought and sensitivity has gone into Armfield’s approach. Traditionally, the play is set in the skeleton of a house with towering buildings surrounding it, to give the overbearing sense of oppression to Willy’s life, but Armfield and set designer Dale Ferguson have swapped the traditional approach for a set of giant bleachers on the side of Ebbets Field. This change mostly works. Ebbets Field features in a prominent high point in the Loman life, especially for their son Biff, but this new staging does lose that overbearing nature of the original. It did, however, allow the cast to be positioned on the bleachers to watch Willy and his storytelling unfold and then enter the action as if they had been plucked from his mind, an element that was very effective. 

As Willy Loman, Anthony LaPaglia brings his entire wealth of acting knowledge into his performance. Every move, every gesture, every grunt reflects the exhausted nature of the character. Even his movement up and down the bleachers evokes his need for rest. LaPaglia’s performance is remarkable. This production marks his first ever professional performance in Adelaide – something that is hard to believe. At times, the script is a babbling mess of thoughts as Willy attempts to process his surroundings, but LaPaglia keeps the dialogue clear and moving. 

Alison Whyte as Linda Loman is exceptional. Between her delicate and caring approach to the role and to Armfield’s direction, Whyte makes this production as much about Linda’s story and struggles with family life as it is about Willy’s life. Her presence is captivating. Her connection to the “attention must be paid” monologue solidifies the emotional centre of Death of a Salesman. This alone is worth the price of the ticket. 

As brothers Biff and Happy Loman, Josh Helman and Ben O’Toole hold their own. They both bring light and shade to their respective roles. Helman brings a balanced combination of agitation and confusion as well as softness to Biff to show his struggle with who his father wants him to become. O’Toole magnificently shows the confident nature of Happy, but at the same time showcasing the desire to be accepted by his father.

The remainder of the cast, Anthony Phelan (Ben Loman), Paula Arundell (The Woman), Elizabeth Blackmore (Miss Forsythe), Marco Chiappi (Charley) and South Australians Luca Sardelis (Jenny and Letta), Mark Saturno (Howard and Stanley) and James Smith (Bernard) worked extremely well as a tight ensemble, slipping in and out of the central dialogue flawlessly. There are no small roles, and each brings strong performances to support the Loman family. Armfield has directed them in such a unique way, having them watch from the bleachers in a way that draws attention to where the action is taking place.

The underlying score by Alan John adds a thoughtful support to Armfield’s direction. At times it is so subtle you don’t notice it, but it only ever enhances the emotional elements of the production. David Tonion and David Greasley’s sound design is excellent. It supports the cast enough so nothing is missed and is designed in a way that you don’t really notice the use of microphones — the mix is incredibly natural. Niklas Pajanti’s lighting design is unobtrusive and creative without drawing your attention away from the action. Dale Ferguson and Sophie Woodward’s costume design is also well considered and complementary to each character.

It’s not everyday you see a production this good. Each cast member is lead-worthy, and to witness them working together to lift Arthur Miller’s timeless classic from the page is extraordinary. The raw emotions are real, the delivery impeccable, the staging top-notch. Theatre this good needs to be supported. With only a limited run in Adelaide, go see this show. It will leave you hanging on every word as well as reflecting on the content for a long time after leaving the theatre.

Reviewed by Ben Stefanoff

Photo credit: Supplied