UTM’s Vanguard Theatre produced a modernized rendition of Arthur Miller’s classic play, The Crucible, directed by Kevin Shell.
The play, a political commentary about the supposed legacy of McCarthyism and the post-WWII Red Scare disguised as a 17th century period-piece, has graced the shelves of high school English classes for generations. Nearly half a decade’s worth of high school students have become familiar with the sordid cast of characters that Miller lifted using actual records from the 1692 Salem witch trials.
The updating that this particular version has undergone is a change of setting to a post-apocalyptic America, seemingly inspired by The Hunger Games and other dystopian novels.
The Puritan religious officials in Miller’s original are replaced with “Masters of Reformation” who seem to be a mix between a schoolteacher and a clergyman, and the sleepy village of Salem becomes “The Institution.”
Otherwise, the vast majority of Miller’s play is unchanged and the plot unfolds just as expected.
The artistic direction of the production obviously received much thought and care.
The set itself was well-designed with grimy tile floors and faux concrete walls that gave, what I assumed to be, the desired effect of a Gothic-horror mental institution. The use of a gurney for a bed in the opening scene added to that affect, although it only remains for a scene and this same type of atmosphere does not return until the prison scene at the end. Even then, the atmosphere is one of very different form.
There was also the use of the central board as a type of video-screen for the associate judges. I found this clever, as the other judges are mostly superfluous in the original play and this was a clever way to represent them.
Fitting with the setting, the costuming was, as oxymoronic as it may sound, exquisitely dingy and drab. Although its not quite like the dusty work coveralls used in 1984 and Metropolis to emphasize downtrodden conformity, it has a similar effect. Similarly, the stage makeup was well-applied, particularly for the characters who were supposed to be aged.
As for the actors, the cast was generally quite good.
Charles Crump and Madison Lee as John Proctor and Abigail Williams respectively were always in control of their stage presences, and as the two primary characters their strong performances assured that the production went relatively smoothly.
Lee’s rendering of Abigail as equal parts seductress and malicious snake-in-the-grass antagonist was well-executed and true to the character’s form. Also of note, Erin Criswell made an excellent Goody Proctor and with her poised performance, she made an excellent foil to Lee’s Abigail.
While I’m not personally a fan of Miller’s play, the excellent design of this production and the talented actors helped bring together what was, for me, a worthwhile two hours’ traffic of the stage.
