Gold Coast review - The Crucible: edge of the seat drama

 By Douglas Kennedy.

The Crucible

by Arthur Miller

Directed by Hunter Wall

Gold Coast Little Theatre. Ensemble Cast

Bookings www.gclt.com.au Phone (075532 2096)

Season ends February 22

Photography TTL (Shane Caddaye).

Arthur Miller’s groundbreaking 1953 modern masterpiece, The Crucible, is testament to the old saying that the more things change the more they stay the same.

When Miller penned The Crucible he was using the harrowing story of the Salem witch trails, which took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1692 to 1693, as an allegory of a then contemporary scare campaign known as McCarthyism.

This political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and movements against communism, and Soviet influence on American institutions during the 1940s and ‘50s, was led by US Senator Joseph McCarthy.

The playwright’s vision had him cast an eye over the late 17th century accusations of witchcraft in the puritanical colony, when 200 people were accused of Satanic leanings.

That led to 30 people being found guilty, 19 of whom were executed by hanging, and one being tortured to death.

The play, which was credited with being one of the finest of the 20th century, was first staged at the Gold Coast Little Theatre in July1983.

The production, which was directed by GCLT veteran Julanne Shearer, who is presently vice-president of the company, marked the opening of the main house theatre known as the Shearer Auditorium.

So it seemed appropriate to mark the 75th anniversary of the theatre’s birthday – it was launched back in 1950 – with a revival of the play with Julanne, and husband, Bruce, in premier seats.

Director Hunter Wall’s staging of the play, that includes a 19-strong cast and a team of first class production talents, including assistant director Jessica White, are a timely reminder that the issues raised in The Crucible are a constant threat to democracies around the free world.

This fine community ensemble have created a powerful production full of sound and fury as a close-knit religious group turns on its self with hate and revenge in its heart.

The story opens in the attic of preacher Samuel Paris (Ricky Moss), whose 10-year-old daughter Betty (Cadence Smith) lies in a seemingly catatonic state.

The night before, the man of God had had seen Betty, and other girls, and his Barbadian slave, Tituba (Isabel Laver), dancing naked in the woods.

Back in the day that conjured up images of pagan rituals and soon the village was awash with rumours of evil Satanic ceremonies as the finger pointing went ballistic.

Although The Crucible boasts a large cast the principals include Dom Bradley as John Proctor, who is married to good wife Elizabeth (Olivia French), and Abigail Williams (Angelique Williams) with whom he once had an affair.

The problem is that Abigail wants John for herself and to that end leads the girls in a dance designed to cast a spell on him.

Soon all sorts of authoritative characters are woven into the plot, including the Reverend John Hale (Jolan Walker) and Deputy Governor George Danforth (John Arthars) , and the village becomes  trapped in a web of deceit.

Among the production’s actors is award-winning veteran Del Halpin as Rebecca Nurse, who was in the 1983 production playing one of the young girls.

Director Wall has done a sterling job of keeping this large cast together in an eye-catching group, which demonstrates a formidable period presence.

The set is simple and uncluttered, and the characters have been plucked from the real-life pages of history (with some changes of details).

The Crucible is a long play – almost three hours - but it’s compelling, edge of the seat drama with a gripping narrative fit for all seasons.