A View from the Bridge (West End) Review

Cast
Dominic West – Eddie Carbone
Kate Fleetwood – Beatrice
Callum Scott Howels – Rodolpho
Nia Towle – Catherine
Pierro Niel-Mee – Marco

Date: Wednesday 24th July 2024 (2:30pm)

Venue: Theatre Royal, Haymarket

Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including 20 minute interval)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A View from the Bridge was written by Arthur Miller and first staged in 1955, which is rather remarkable. The fact that it still has a place in 2024 and interesting points to make about many different issues and matters.

Set in 1950s American in an Italian-American neighbourhood not far from the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. We find our protagonist Eddie Carbone who lives with his wife Beatrice and her orphaned niece Catherine who he has a rather obsessive passion for as she approaches her 18th birthday the tension is about to reach boling point. This coincides with the illegal arrival of Beatrice’s two cousins Marco and Rodolpho, Eddie had agreed to house them wanting to help family.

His positivity towards that will be fully tested when Catherine is drawn to Rodolpho which causes the rage to build within Eddie, he even convinces himself that Rodolpho is homosexual. He then sets to try and prove this and that he just wants to be able to stay in America therefore wanting to marry Catherine. This will then cause problems with Beatrice who realises Eddie’s inappropriate feelings and pushes for the marriage. The illegal immigration theme is another that still has a lot to say nowadays, although is America still seen as a place to go to make money? I guess that is a totally different question.

The performances were all incredible and engaging from start to finish, obviously the big draw was to see Dominic West on stage and he did not disappoint. He has certainly covered all different forms of acting across all mediums, having roles on critically acclaimed TV series and film. Kate Fleetwood was incredible opposite him and was given some very emotionally tough and raw scenes. Callum Scott Howels was wonderful and I could not help but get all upset thinking about It’s a Sin when first seeing him enter the stage. What a terrific actor he is!

I honestly do love seeing plays at the theatre as I feel it is true proper acting, so raw and emotional. This packed a punch and I can fully understand why it has many revivals over the years in both London and on Broadway.