BY MARY F. CHUHINKO
Lion’s Pride Staff Writer

Court theater marquee.

Photograph by Mary F. Chuhinko

It was a bitter cold night in New York City. The wind whipped at the people’s faces that stood patiently in line to retrieve their ticket for the preview performance of “A View from the Bridge.” The historic Cort Theater is the home of Arthur Miller’s classic tale, starring Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson. These two bright stars light up the stage in director Gregory Mosher’s return to Broadway.

The set was simple yet beautifully done. A dark brick alleyway opens up to reveal the apartment of Eddie and his wife Beatrice who are played by Schrelber and Jessica Hecht. Scarlett Johansson plays their brunette orphaned niece, Catherine, who is growing into a young lady right before their eyes.

The play is set in Brooklyn, in the 1950s, when illegal immigration was starting to get intense. Living in an Italian neighborhood, many residents hid their relatives once they came over from the mother land.
The real tension begins when Beatrice’s cousins come over from Italy and live with the family for a brief time. Once in the house Catherine and one of the cousin’s, Rudolpho, begin to fall in love, much to the disdain of Eddie.

The story is packed with sexual tension, due to the fact that Eddie is tormented by his feelings towards his niece which are blurred between the lines of platonic love and pure passion. The plot thickens as marriage proposals occur and the threat of the immigration police is constantly gnawing at the back of every character’s mind. This keeps every character on edge.

Liev Schreiber gives the performance of his career as Eddie Carbone. He is known for his work in “The Omen,” “Kate & Leopold,” and most recently, “X Men Origin: Wolverine.” As Eddie, Liev plays an everyman. As a hard-working American trying to raise his family, his New York accent was flawless. He was perfect; he was Eddie Carbone.

Scarlett Johansson traded in her signature blonde locks for below the shoulder length brown hair. The native New Yorker brought out her accent,

and really let Catherine grow within the piece. Johansson is known for her work in “Lost in Translation,” The Other Boleyn Girl,” and the upcoming sequel, “Iron Man 2.” In her Playbill bio, Johansson said that performing on Broadway has always been a dream of hers since she was a child. For a young woman of 25, she was no slouch on stage, stealing much of the spot light.

The play is cut into two acts, which keeps the audience hanging on every word. The costumes were excellently designed; beautiful dresses, pencil skirts, dress coats and news boy hats just to name a few key pieces.

After the play, the cast graciously took their bows; Johansson gave a humble curtsey to the standing ovation. As Schreiber and Johansson walked back stage, Schreiber touchingly places an arm around Johansson, much like a big brother.

Outside the Cort Theater, loyal fans waited patiently by the stage door for a glimpse of their much beloved actors. Each one graciously made their way to the circle to sign autographs.

“A View From The Bridge,” will premiere January 24, and will run until April 4th. It is running on a limited engagement, so anyone interested better act fast. Make sure to reserve tickets for the week of Spring Break, if visiting New York. “A View From The Bridge,” is a wonderful Broadway experience, and this reporter would see it again if she could.