The Crucible

The Crucible

By Arthur Miller

Directed by Joshua George Lawson

By arrangement with Music Theatre International and Josef Weinberger

This exciting drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem in 1692 is both a gripping historical play and a timely parable of our contemporary society. In a small tight-knit community ‘small lies’ – children’s lies – ignite community gossip and rumour which spread like wildfire until a whole town is aroused.  Personal grievances are inflamed until no-one is safe from accusation and vengeance.  Nineteen good men and women, upright, hardworking, compassionate and Godfearing, go to the gallows for being possessed of the Devil.  Seen as a chilling parallel to the McCarthyism and repressive culture of fear that gripped America in the 1950’s, the play’s timeless relevance and appeal remains as strong as when the play opened on Broadway in 1953.

‘If endless relevance is the sign of a stone-cold classic, Miller’s play – written in 1953 to critique mass hysteria over communist influence in America, and to indict his fellow showbiz liberals who denounced friends to save themselves – certainly qualifies.’  The Standard

‘The timeless themes of persecution, fear, and the abuse of power, vividly endure. We are reminded of the dangers that arise when paranoia takes hold of a community, whether virtual or not.’  The Tatler

Cast

Crew