Review Miller’s ‘Crucible’

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 6

Review Miller’s ‘Crucible’

The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Performed by Riccarton Players. Directed by Stewart Robertson. Mill Theatre, Wise Street. Running time: 2% hours. Reviewed by Roy Montgomery. Along with “Death of a Salesman,” “The Crucible” survives as one of Miller’s most popular plays. Set in the puritan Salem of 1692, it charts a course leading from rumours of witchcraft and impiety, through hysterical inquisition, to sentences of death. Initially received by some critics as a thinly disguised condemnation of the McCarthy era in the United States, it has endured more as a testament to both the collective weakness and personal strength of human nature. Miller’s play stresses the reality of evil, productions of it are seldom undertaken lightly, and the current production is no exception. The script, however, is demanding, suffused with language that is both stylised and deliberate. One senses that this is a source of discomfort for some of the actors.

The character of Abigail Williams, played by Lucy Briant, presents a problem, as this is Miller’s only clear deviation from historical truth, and by adding this “blemish” to the otherwise honest nature of John Proctor, played by Robert Haakman, the evolution of the evil that occurs is somehow clouded. In attempting to follow Miller’s quite specific directions some of the subtle effects, such as the recurring words “think” or “thought” which signify the sheer uncertainly of beliefs or allegations, seem to be lost. There is, however, a sense of hysteria permeating the performances which is entirely appropriate. It is likely that this production will appeal to those studying Miller or American playwrights for scholastic reasons. Despite the rather grim themes, one feels that the cast is capable of enjoying this work, if they can become more comfortable with Miller’s language. The'set is suitably chilly, and the period setting not over done.