Poor, deluded Willy Loman is one of the most important characters in American literature.
The central character in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is also one of literature’s greatest losers, a man whose misguided vision of the American Dream – spoiler alert – forces him to hide from reality and ultimately causes his life to fall apart.
Devastatingly bleak stuff from the former Mr Marilyn Monroe but Loman’s failures have proved to be an amazing success for Dundee Rep.
Its production of the play picked up six nominations in this year’s prestigious Critics Awards for Theatres in Scotland (CATS) awards.
That’s more nominations than any other play performed in Scotland over the past year.
And Death of a Salesman is not the only show of The Rep’s to catch the notice of critics either, with Robert Jack picking up a best male nomination for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing.
Even if the theatre should somehow walk away empty-handed from next month’s awards ceremony in Edinburgh, its haul of nominations is already a pretty hefty accolade in itself.
Meanwhile, we’re just days away from the launch of Dundee’s second Design Festival which, if it is anything like last year’s inaugural event, will be another resounding success for the city.
It’s also impossible to ignore the Degree Show currently underway at Dundee University’s Duncan of Jordanstone Art College or the thousands of people who turned out in the rain to see UB40 at Slessor Gardens on Saturday night.
Basically, when it comes to culture in Dundee we, to borrow a phrase, have never had it so good.
So it’s now wonder there is real confidence about Dundee bid for the European Capital of Culture title.
Dundee isn’t just waiting for good things to happen, it has sought to make them happen: whether that is the securing the V&A, deciding to capitalise on the success of last year’s Design Festival or the hard work and inspiration of the Dundee Rep that we, as a city, all too often take for granted.
But it’s important Dundee continues its drive forward and seeks to build on its successes.
Because we don’t, as a city, want to end up like Willy Loman constantly looking back to better times in the past.
