The Scenic Design of "Death of a Salesman"

In our discussion the other day about drama, we talked about how the scenic design of a production can influence how the audience receives the book, or script, of a play. In this 1999 revival of "Death of a Salesman", we see how the decisions of both the director, scenic designer, and the lighting designer can greatly affect, and enhance a performance. In the script of this play, it says that the stage should be yet as a whole house and yard, leaving every room open for the audience to catch a glimpse of the Loman family. Yet in this opening scene, the directors felt to not follow the script, but only have one set piece on the entire stage: a bed. Fitting how a bed, a symbol of rest and companionship, is the only set piece for a scene between an anxious man and his worrying wife. With this focus on the couple with the bed, we get a more intimate look at this relationship and how it is at the beginning of the play. This is an example of how an artistic decision can add depth that isn't necessarily found in the script, but in the mind of the director.