Review: Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE Staged in Unique Form At ThinkTank Theater And Tampa Rep

“You love me John Proctor, and for whatever sin it is you love me less...”-Abigial

“We are what we always were...but naked now...”-Proctor

Arthur Miller’s Masterpiece The Crucible is a 1953 play that is both dramatized and fictionalized around the true events of the Salem Witch Trials between 1692-93. Written as a Political Allegory on McCarthyism, Miller used its dramatizations to detail a time in which the United States Government persecuted people that were accused of being a part of the Communist Party.

The Crucible was first performed on January 22, 1953 at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway. The original production featured performances from E.G. Marshall, Beatrice Straight, and Madeline Sherwood. Though the play was widely criticized often through hostile remarks, Miller’s play went on to win the Tony Award for Best Play of 1953. A year later, a remounted production was performed and in its wake the play became a classic. Later esteemed as a central piece in the Canon of American Drama, and regarded as one of Miller’s finest works.

Tampa Repertory Theatre and Think Tank Theatre join forces to stage the classic Miller piece, and with visionary Director Georgia Mallory Guy at the helm, the two companies weave a unique spin on what is sought to be Miller’s scariest of plays.

Georgia Mallory Guy in her Director’s Notes puts it best in quoting a 1996 New Yorker Article in which Miller describes his play by saying,

“I am not sure what The Crucible is telling people now, but I know that its paranoid center is still pumping out the same darkly attractive warning that it did in the fifties...The thing at issue is buried intentions---the secret allegiances of the alienated heart, always the main threat to the theocratic mind, as well as its immemorial quarry.”

Upon re-reading the play prior to my viewing, I ran across an introduction in my version of the script, written by Richard Watts, Jr., where in it he puts to paper the perspective in which Miller’s drama was trying to achieve,

“Today, with the nightmare era of McCarthy moving farther into the past, those particular details are no longer of distracting importance, although the general issue of freedom of judgement opposed to the brutal domination of intolerance remains as great as ever. And, with nothing to distract the attention by forcing on it those parallels with one especial case of national yielding to the hysteria of witch hunting. The Crucible can be judged for what it is, a moving drama about the personal tragedy of the notorious Salem trials which makes by implication an eloquent case on the universal subject of intolerance using trumped-up hysteria for its evil purposes.”

If that doesn’t set Miller’s play into the two-hour traffic of our current political world- view than show me a piece of classic theatre that has greater parallels. I feel that is what makes the overall themes and ideals in Miller’s The Crucible even that more frightening.In the current political climate in which we find ourselves, everyone is both wrong and right, but in the end who’s to blame?

These questions and more are conversations I find myself having, mainly internally, but also externally with others who are privy to the work, but at its core, does this production go far enough in its journey for us to go there as an audience member?

Absolutely there are things that work, and when they work, its marvelous and needs to be seen. However, there are moments that left me wondering if we intended to truly go somewhere, or are we going about the motions?

There are some stunning performances in this production that absolutely need mentioning.

As Abigail Williams, Noa Friedman does fine work here. There is a sensuality, and almost ferocious veracity to her turn. I wonder if she comes across too innocent-looking at times, maybe its the youthfulness, that will aide her further in life, but for me the innocent nature may be partially what is holding her arc back. We should fear her more, and this character needs to let us have it from the very beginning, going all the way and taking no prisoners in her wake.

The Young Artist Ensemble does fine work here, and I look forward to seeing each of their journeys, as they mold into what is already proving to be exceptionally talented young adults.

Doubling as both Thomas Putnam, and Mr. Cheevers, Cameron Kulby is exceptional in every moment onstage. Via Shea is marvelous as Mary Warren, and having seen her performances over the years, she is truly growing into her own. You feel the depth of her character here, and it was truly stunning to watch. As Giles Corey, Michael Gilbert does fine work here.

In one of his finest turns to date, Luis Rivera is an astounding Reverend Hale. Donned in a leather jacket and never fully letting off the gas of a souls journey in relation to the gospel, Luis delivers a performance so grounded in emotional depth and fortitude, and a heart the swells with every line, and unlike anything I have witnessed from him. Truly outstanding work.

Ryan Sturm is exceptionally grounded and strong as Deputy Governor Danforth. Stoic, comes to mind when thinking of his performance. He plays the villain with such subdued venom seething from every line, you cannot help but hang on to every word. He goes all in without giving too much, always making you wonder where his journey will take you next. A truly commanding performance that needs to be witnessed in every facet.

In this production there is a tie for best in show, and it goes to Robert Teasdale as John Proctor, our story’s very flawed and undeniably human everyman, who does right and wrong never a worry of consequence. Having last witnessed Teasdale’s stage presence in freeFall’s Rose & Walsh, there is an otherworldly presence in him here, and an equally explosive turn in John Proctor that is magnetic, and horrifying all the same. Equally brilliant is Brianna Larson as the exceptional Elizabeth Proctor. In our tale she is the Offred here, an almost quiet vigilante of sorts. Seeing the two opposite one another is an astounding feast for both the eyes and soul, each complimenting the other brilliantly.

Technically beautiful in its Presentational format, The Crucible is filled to the brim with exquisite artistry to bring Miller’s play to life.

In Presentational format, the performers sit along the sides of the stage, and in cadence announce the entrances and exits of the other characters (some of whom play multiple parts) in the story. Almost a fly on the wall in which they are watching the events unfold, prior to stepping into the story. They also announce the tops of each Act and describe the setting so we don’t get lost in the shuffle of time and space.

The minimalist set designed by Jim Sorensen works to represent the world in which the story takes place. The set is designed with a turntable of sorts in mind, that is controlled by performers using ropes to move it through time. A metaphor symbolizing that time is a continuance and often no beginning or end except in death. That the themes in Miller’s play equally parallel the current worldview we live in, finger pointing, name calling, corruption, no right or wrong, or as what Proctor proclaims, “We are what we always were..” Thus Presentational meets Representational. There are pieces of furniture, benches and such that are moved in and out depending on relation to the events of the story.

Jo Averill-Snell’s beautiful lighting design captures the mood of the story and often the darker themes throughout, but I wonder could more have been added to give us that extra nudge to the sinister?Jeremy Douglass’ compositions create intense moments of music that allow us to be transported into the world of the show. Costumes by Sofia Pickford lend well to the Presentational feel of the show, but some left me wondering how they all work amongst the overall time period.

All in all the overarching themes in the classic Miller drama are both present at times and sometimes invisible to the naked eye. Tampa Rep and Think Tank took an aim at the themes presented in the piece, and through a mixing of styles, theatrics, and a few choices did its best to find its footing.I was so excited to jump into October full swing with the opening of this play, and a play about real life Witches was on to the top of the list. I thoroughly enjoyed the moments presented here, but like what The Butterfly Effect

did to Rorschach Paintings, I found myself intrigued, and oftentimes excited to see where the piece will take me. Did it scare me as much as it should, not entirely, do you get a sense that deeply grounded in Miller’s themes we almost see a window into the world in which we live...absolutely. This production of The Crucible attempts to go there, frankly where we may have not seen a production quite as such, and with phenomenal powerhouse performances out of the gate, our friends at Tampa Rep and Think Tank Theatre provide an equally entertaining and thought provoking look into a mirror image on society as it was then, paralleled to now... and this should be experienced. You can find out more about tickets by visiting www.tamparep.org.

Photo Credit: Ashley Emrick

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