Arthur Miller

The Crucible

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Miller’s The Crucible is one of those plays that I have always thought rather like theatrical medicine; good for you, but worthy rather than enjoyable. I knew that this exploration of the hysteria and totalitarianism that befell the Massachusetts town of Salem was meant to illustrate the Communist witch hunts in the US in the 1950s, but it took this production to remind me of the relevance that it also has for today, as we see misguided application of religious fervour renewed throughout the world.

It is lengthy; three and a half hours with interval. However, the time flew by for me. The production, done in the round, uses modern dance to illustrate the mania affected by (or affecting, who can tell) the adolescent girls involved in the spotting of the “witchcraft.” The opening sequence, in which the slave Tituba (beautifully played by Sarah Niles)  regresses from beginning as a woman to ending the sequence on all fours, is tremendously emotional.

There is not a weak link in the cast. From Samantha Colley, who humanises Abigail Williams beautifully (and reminds us that Proctor is not blameless in their affair; he had a choice in the matter and was the adult in the situation) to William Gaunt’s dauntless Giles Corey to Adrian Schiller’s moral Rev. John Hale, they all seem utterly at home in their parts and in the time frame.

Elizabeth Proctor is often a thankless role, and it can often be difficult to keep from crossing the line of self-righteousness and losing the audience’s sympathy entirely. But Anna Madeley is stunning, she has her own dignity and her own pride, and she makes us feel every line she utters. Michael Thomas as Rev. Parris is similarly well-acted, as his initial dislike of Proctor, pride and desire to avoid humiliation mean that he sets in motion a scenario he cannot control. Thomas lets us see every emotion as he realises that he has completely lost control of the situation and that true evil is being done here.

Richard Armitage is, I fear, too good-looking for the role of John Proctor. We certainly understand Abigail’s desire to retain his affections. However, he slashes into the part with furious intensity and we believe every word he utters. Only his Christian faith seemed somewhat lacking for me. But I wholeheartedly believed his desire to amend his wrong to Elizabeth and to retain his name, and not a breath was drawn during the final scenes.

A final note: this production excelled at demonstrating the utter savagery that can take hold of adolescent girls. Lacking the maturity for compassion, with hormones taking hold at every turn, they are capable of true horror. It is good to see this reality, lacking sentimentality, portrayed on stage.

This production is a stunner; do go and see it. Just figure out a pub with a late license to go to afterwards, as you won’t be out before closing time.

 

All My Sons

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When I heard that Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre was doing All My Sons this year, I thought that it was awfully soon after the brilliant David Suchet/Zoe Wanamaker production. It was only when I looked it up and realised that production was a full four years ago, that I understood how much it had remained in my mind ever since.

A hard act to follow, then. But, the play’s the thing. All My Sons is, in my opinion, Miller’s strongest work. Each scene is crucial to the next, and information is provided so naturally that you hardly feel the exposition. It is amazing to me that it was originally produced in 1947, so soon after the end of the war. After all, it has been some time since the Iraq war, and we have not seen any great art from that conflict.

It is important, but relatively rare to have a uniformly strong cast. Happily, this production does have such a strong cast. (And the accents are impeccable). Brid Brennan is a forthright Kate, although the emotional range is somewhat narrow. Amy Nuttall is a fiercely intelligent Ann, allowing us to see her understanding of the barbs directed at her, even as she pretends not to get it. The supporting cast are all strong, and I have a particular fondness for Tilly Blackwood as a hilarious Sue Bayliss, in full pneumatic mode.

I have often felt that the role of Chris is a thankless one at the beginning of the play. Such a Mayberry character, he is so apparently full of innocence that he scarcely seems real. One line that struck me this time (“They say in the war he was such a killer”) is hard to reconcile with the shining young man standing before us. He also seems impossibly shy in the romantic scenes for a WWII soldier. But Charles Aitken makes his belief in his father and subsequent collapse eminently believable and terribly touching.

Tom Mannion is wonderful as Joe. Often, actors cast in this role are cerebral and thoughtful. But the character is a fairly uneducated, working class boy made good, and Mannion absolutely nails this. The focus on money and security is absolutely credible in his hands, and the character’s lack of emotional resilience is brought starkly to the forefront.

One aspect of the production that worked particularly well in the open air format is the claustrophobia of life in small town America. It made perfect sense that the neighbours were simply wandering in from their own backyards, and that everyone knew everything about everyone else’s lives. As someone who is delighted with the anonymity of living in a large city, I felt a visceral reaction to it.

This production, again, is ending soon (I seem to see plays near the end of their runs because I am very choosy about where I sit). It is highly recommended, however, and if you luck into some good weather as I did, it is well worth catching.