The powerful effect of the Great Depression on the dramatist Arthur Miller was evident in his late (1980) play The American Clock, which was brought to Chipping Norton two years ago in a workmanlike production by students of the Oxford School of Drama. Last week it was instructive to be back at the same venue savouring Miller’s scarcely less gloomy smash hit Death of a Salesman, first seen exactly 60 years ago.

This early assault on what we now call the consumerist society was, as its writer admitted, much influenced by the Depression too — the fear of the great boom then under way “coming down in a heap of ashes”.

The central character of Willy Loman – superbly portrayed by Richard Derrington (above) in this Bridge House Theatre Company production – is a fully committed subscriber to the American Dream.

His tragedy is that for him, as for so many others, the dream will never become a reality. His successful days as a salesman over (one suspects they never started), he is reduced to getting by on subs from a generous neighbour Charley (Arthur Kohn), while deceiving his wife Linda (Janet Dale) that the cash comes from commission.

Pretence extends to his belief in a good family life, whereas the Lomans’ stay-at-home son Happy (Ben Whybrow) is a worthless womaniser and the other, the jock Biff (Paul Curran), a failure out West as he had been a failure academically.

The disintegration of Loman is mercilessly presented over one day, with eloquent flashbacks. As ever, it made painful but compelling viewing.

Bridge House, a professional company based at Warwick University, has further performances there until March 12. Box office call 01926 776438 or go to www.bridgehousetheatre.co.uk