The new production let’s all the seams show and though it is still powerful, it doesn’t quite use Field to full effect, allowing Morgan to step centre stage in a bit more obvious way. It was revived in the West End towards the end of the decade with Zoe Wanamaker and David Suchet.
Metcalf was extraordinary and Davies’ staging rung maximum power from the play.
However, the signature production of this play remains the Howard Davies production at The National which initially starred Julie Walters in the Cottsloe (smaller theatre, in the round) in about 2000 and was then moved to the Lyttleton (larger, proscenium stage) with Laurie Metcalf as Kate Keller and Ben Daniels as Chris (I believe he won an Olivier for it). Colin Morgan (Merlin) was really good as Chris and Sally Field and Bill Pullman were excellent as Kate and Joe Keller. I saw the Old Vic production of All My Sons this week. (Except that Ma Keller doesn't want to marry Chris, because Ann's used to be Chris's dead brother's girl.) by Anonymous Ann hates her father because of this, and she isn't aware of any reason why she should hesitate to marry into the Keller family. You may also have missed that Joe spent some time in jail as well, but then was exonerated (because of his lies). Until the end of the play, Ann believes the lie Joe Keller has been perpetuating - that Ann's (not Anna's) father was fully responsible for shipping the defective airplane parts, and Joe had no part in it because he was "home sick" that day. Why would she abandon her father when she was friendly and loving towards the man who put him in there? Did I miss something? Any thoughts? Spoiler alert - It's a good part, but it was not made clear in the production I saw why Anna would want to marry into a family that she knows caused the destruction of her family, put a wedge between her and her brother, caused someone she loved to commit suicide, and put her father in jail. Why would she abandon her father when she was friendly and loving towards the man who put him in there? Did I miss something? Any thoughts? by Anonymous Maybe she surprised? I don't remember her reviews. I don't' dislike her, but I just don't see her having the gravitas or depth of hurt that the role needs. I know that Katy Holmes played Anna in the previous revival. I thought it would be ponderous, but it was really an engrossing play, and, as the Times review mentioned, it is still relevant, what with Boeing knowingly selling planes with safety issues. Despite being revived fairly often, I finally just saw All My Sons I saw a stream of the London production from a few years ago.