The Man Who Had All The Luck

Very few have claimed to be excessively lucky. Unlike bad luck, good luck is willingly accepted and rarely examined. While Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman looks at the failure of the American Dream, his earlier play The Man Who Had All the Luck explores the themes of good fortune and prosperity. Following the Lyceum’s successful productions of Miller’s Death of a Salesman (2002) and All My Sons (2007), John Dove is returning to pursue his passion for Miller’s works in this new production.

The Lyceum’s production is well-timed for the currently over-propagated ‘credit crunch’, as the play is set during the Great Depression. The title character, David Beeves, seems to be resistant to disasters or fiascos that invariably happen to others around him. The young mechanic’s unusual luck makes him become exceptionally self-conscious, obsessed and inevitably paranoid about his never-ending success in the times of the general economic downfall. The ever-growing contrast between David’s and other people’s welfare makes him question God’s existence and the ultimate meaning of human life.

John Dove has already been praised for his directing talent and deep understanding of the dramatic structure of Miller’s plays. Paradoxically, the play’s initial failure almost destroyed Miller’s career, but it seems like Dove’s production might be another directing achievement.