1953 Tony-Award winning best play, THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller. This four act tragedy play, is fast-paced and expertly directed with flair and panache by Lyndsey Turner (Hamlet, Under Milk Wood, Top Girls). Wonderful new staging as designed by Tony Award-winning Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy) with the magnificent waterfall of rain, that appears at the beginning of each of the four acts.
Superb ensemble cast with excellent major actors in the leading roles. Award-Winning Australian writer, director and actor Brendan Cowell (The Twelve) is just spellbinding as John Proctor. Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor, both had moral standards that always prevailed despite being sentenced to die by hanging. Both remained steadfast and refused to confess to a falsehood, as that would sacrifice their Christian religious principles.
Abuse of power. Very entertaining story taken from history, and in essence is based upon those true events during 1692–1693, of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Abigail Williams is the attention seeking adulterer, who cheats, steals, lies, and frames Elizabeth Procter as a witch. Such attention seeking people still exist, but the ergot alkaloid induced witch hunts, no longer happen in 2023.
THE CRUCIBLE is also an abuse of power allegory for McCarthyism in the 1950s. With only highly-circumstantial hearsay given as evidence, people were accused of being communists without jury trial by twelve peers, and were deliberately persecuted by the United States government. Highly Recommended. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
STARRING – Erin Doherty (The Crown) as Abigail Williams, Brendan Cowell as John Proctor, Nick Fletcher as Reverend Parris, Fisayo Akinade as Reverend Hale, Rachelle Diedericks as Mary Warren, and Eileen Walsh as Elizabeth Proctor.
EXPECT – strong language and adult themes, which some may find distressing. Bright lights are used during transitions. Haze is used throughout.
Production photography by Johan Persson.
CHARACTERS –
Abigail Williams
Reverend John Hale
Reverend Samuel Parris
John Proctor
Elizabeth Proctor
Thomas Danforth
Mary Warren
John Hathorne
Giles Corey
Rebecca Nur
INFO – https://sharmillfilms.com.au/national-theatre-live/the-crucible/
FAQ – https://thecrucible.ntlive.com/
PRODUCTION – https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-crucible/
VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tCoFKwrrYw&
NT live: THE CRUCIBLE will be screening in selected cinemas around Australia from 4th March 2023. Running Time of 180 minutes, including the 15 minute interval.
