The Crucible

Arthur Miller's drama is based on the true story of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692/3.  The setting is Puritanical New England in the town of Salem, Massachusetts.  A group of young girls are discovered dancing in the woods by the local minister and talk of witchcraft ensues.  A series of hearings and prosecutions take place and aided by mass hysteria, twenty people are unfairly executed.  Miller's play is multi-faceted, addressing the dominance of religious beliefs; suppression; the wickedness of human nature; the influence of peer pressure and the importance of being at peace with oneself.  It is a play with a powerful message for anyone who has a social conscience.

This theatre was the ideal setting for this type of play. There was no mistaking what you were about to see as advertising posters were large, well mounted and professionally produced. With the programme sellers in relevant costumes, the `scene’ was set and the Director’s notes were comprehensive so as to give the reader a real insight into the performance.  In the auditorium, the use of smoke added to the atmosphere even further.

The opening scene with Kris Robertson (Reverend Samuel Parris) and Amelia Zimmatore (Abigail Williams) instilled a confidence in you that this was to be a play that could be clearly heard and understood. Both actors maintained consistency of character throughout, with Amelia keeping the audience on the `edge’ in an engaging way. Kate Robbins (Rebecca Nurse) was convincing as a good person and this came across. Nick Wray (John Proctor) and Bridget Collins (Elizabeth Proctor) gave very credible performances as a troubled couple and by the end of Act 2 their love for each other was evident.  Nick Smith (Giles Corey) you warmed to as soon as he entered and apart from offering a good example of rhotacism, was a strong character who was able to `pepper’ a dark, concerning story with just the right amount of humour. Clyde Young (Dep-Governor Danforth) was able to cover most of the stage whilst delivering audible and authoritative dialogue. Symon Hamer (Judge Hathorne) was well cast as a person who was determined to have his justice and his facial expressions matched his character. One could see James Klech (Reverend John Hale) mellowing as the play deepened.  His dialogue was clear and his character-moralistic.

The young girls’ rantings worked really well and with the consistency of movement and coordination, it was dance-like, particularly in Act 3.  Attention to detail was evident, for example, with the young lad who offered a discreet nod on entering down stage and although the focus was not on him, his subtle salutation did not go unnoticed.

Lighting gave appropriate colour to match the moods throughout and the spots were well positioned. However, the back light for John Proctor at the end of Act could have been a little less dramatic as its starkness seemed to conflict with the mood and one was left feeling a little disconnected with what had gone before.  The set certainly gave a strong sense of the world of Salem, simple, effective and a constant reminder of how powerful religion was, through the cross-like structures doubling as entrances and a frame from which hung a cooking cauldron. Less can be more however when it comes to smoke machines.  All scene changes were smoothly carried out and principals’ acting was well crafted.

Congratulations go to all involved for a sophisticated and meaningful performance that really was `consumed by fear’.

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