Review: The Crucible

The Pembroke Players bring to the ADC Theatre their production of The Crucible; Arthur Miller’s examination of superstition, self-interest and injustice as manifested in the seventeenth-century Salem witch trials. Miller was prompted by McCarthyism or the “Red Scare” – the widespread suspicion surrounding supposed communist activities in 1950s America to investigate how fear may overcome reason, how moments of weakness can lead to persecution. The Crucible remains a classic because of a painful truth – it will always be relevant to society. Perhaps it is especially so now.

Director Kate Austin and her crew take on a large task in putting on this timeless play. The Crucible goes to dark, challenging places and covers sensitive topics – and Austin makes some bold artistic decisions. Most notable is the absence of an omniscient narrator, instead Austin trusts her actors to portray their characters’ subtleties. Although some of the context of family feuds is lost as a result, these actors do not disappoint.

Image credit: Bryan Abi Karam

Joe Orrell gives an outstanding performance as John Proctor. Proctor is flawed, aggressive yet likeable, and Orrell captures these complexities wonderfully. His aggression leads to moments of shiver-worthy, deathly silence, both from characters and audience. I also have to commend the team for how they handle intimate moments. Violent scenes between Proctor and Mary Warren (Tabby MacLachlan) and Proctor and Abigail Williams (Isobel Guthrie) are well-managed and uncomfortably convincing. The moments of tenderness and love, between Proctor and Elizabeth (Edith Stewart), are delicate and particularly moving.

Image credit: Bryan Abi Karam

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Isobel Guthrie deserves commendation for her portrayal of Abigail. While Guthrie plays into the cruel and unlikeable nature of Abigail, we also see a teenager maddened by love. Guthrie develops a character who qualifies for our pity as well as repulsion. Kate Austin says “the children are as trapped by the system as they are in a position of power” and Guthrie portrays this ambiguity excellently.

The realistic shrieking of Guthrie, and the other actors playing beguiling children, impressed me. In a climactic moment, the girls imitate Mary Warren (Tabby MacLachlan) with real precision, moving towards the audience with sinister intent. Gullibility aside, when the children point at the bird in the distance, I felt I too should turn and look – testament to the actors’ abilities to make their characters’ distress palpable and authentic. Tabby MacLachlan stood out for this, she naturally shifts into gentle, quiet dialogue. Her stance, which involves raised shoulders and clenched fists, also captures her character’s fear and childishness.

Image credit: Bryan Abi Karam

Wilf Offord and Jacob Coughlan also deserve mention as Judges Danforth and Hathorne. Offord speaks every syllable with clarity and a guardedness which gives an unnerving presence to Danforth, contrasting Coughlan’s angry and volatile Hathorne, who he plays with power. Amidst this dark play, Joanne Yau, the teams’ lead costume designer, brought light. The costumes are traditional, with one exception. Members of the clergy and court all have shining silver crosses on the back of their robes or tops, which look to be made from safety pins. This helps the audience define characters among a rather large cast, while also fitting into the theme of the church as materialistic (which John Proctor indicates in his speech on the “golden candlesticks”). Yau pays attention to details; when Reverend Hale (Leo Kang) returns to Salem, he does so with an untucked shirt and glasses missing to emphasise his distress. Small things like these tell me that a lot of consideration has gone into this re-enactment of The Crucible.

This is an intense, spirited and moving performance of The Crucible. But there are still moments of comic relief. Character Giles Corey (played by Helen Brookes) has lines with comedic potential. Potential Helen Brookes realises, as her performance secured a lot of laughs from the opening night audience. The audience’s opinions of the performance were clear. I heard lots of impressed voices after the final bows. On my way out of the theatre, I heard someone else say, “I think this might be the best – or second best – play I’ve seen in Cambridge.” They compared it to The Chaplain which secured itself a place, and impressive reviews, at the Camden Fringe. I imagine this play will be much talked of in Cambridge; you really shouldn’t miss it.

4.5/5

The Crucible is showing Tuesday 12th – Saturday 16th November at the ADC Theatre. Book your tickets here.

Featured image credits: Bryan Abi Karam