Mind if I start with a rhetorical question? Do you know how hard it is to write a review of a dark play of disillusionment and despair, when you went to the Footlights Smoker immediately after the play?

Death of a Salesman follows the Loman family as father Willy heads towards mental deterioration and death (sorry to ruin the ending but, you know, it is in the title) leaving behind him a family full of false hopes.

Financial and business difficulties must be in the name (Loman brothers, Lehman Brothers, anyone?), and Miller’s 1949 masterpiece on the American Dream works today in other ways too. A picture of Obama, complete with catchphrase “change”, hangs on stage, and changes in script incorporate iPhones and Wiis. I realise I’m getting off to a slow start with actually reviewing the play, but that’s only fair, as the play itself was quite slow starting. And long. It was very long. Don’t worry though, this review won’t reflect the play in that aspect too. But I am writing in an American accent.

It is not an easy play to stage, with flashbacks merging into real time and characters appearing to some people and not others. They did a great job. The actors were exceedingly convincing in their roles; while some accents were better and more consistent than others, each contributed to the build up of tension and pent-up emotion on stage. I felt completely drawn into the drama after my fifteen minute nap at the beginning.

Particular mention must go to Tom Cane who was just brilliant as Willy Loman, smoothly switching between hopeful young’un to shuffling older man, and to Elizabeth Donnelly for her heartfelt and moving final speech. Lighting and background music is used effectively throughout.

The play speaks dissertations about aspirations and perception, which is always relevant for a Cambridge student. It’s enough to make anyone go that extra mile not to flunk maths, that being the original reason given for the downward spiral of events in the play. There’s a reason that this play is studied by GCSE students nationwide; it’s good and the concepts are not difficult to grasp. Go see it, feel empowered/despaired (delete as appropriate) and discuss the future of today in the ADC bar afterwards. By Lauren Davidson