The Crucible – Regents Park Open Air Theatre, London

Writer: Arthur Miller

Composer: Nick Powell

Director: Timothy Scheader

Reviewer: John Roberts

The Public Reviews Rating:

There really couldn’t be a more atmospheric and suitable arena to mount a production of Arthur Miller’s tense and psychologically disturbing allegory. The Open Air Theatre in Regents Park oozes character and as the sun sets over Salem and shadows are cast on Timothy Scheader’s visually stunning production of The Crucible (the first time the production has been performed here) you get the feeling you are going to be in for a tense but dramatic ride…however this production fails to reach the heady heights one hoped and wished for.

Using the historical and heavily documented evidence of the Salem Witch trials of the 1600’s, Miller wrote the production as a response to the dramatic 1950’s anticommunist witch hunt on the entertainment industry by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Scheader has done a reasonable job with this production – however he has crafted this production with broad-strokes rather than the finesse and detail one would hope for, however in this production he produced a strong and original concept in the chorus of village girls (made up of younger professionals and East 15 students) a constant and ever present reminder of the horrors that face the Village of Salem. The production feels very uneven with the second half feeling like the weaker and poorer relative of the first, with some strange choices being made especially in the final jail scene, where it appears several of the characters have become inmates of an asylum rather than the tormented souls they should be.

At the heart of the production lies Millers strong and evocative script. In Miller’s use of the language of the day, he manages to evoke reactions and emotions one rarely feels when sat in the theatre and luckily there were some excellent performances to help carry the strength of the production.

Emily Taaffe is bewitching as the hardened and spiteful Abigail Williams, who one could imagine that John Procter could easily fall for and have relations. Emma Cunniffe is a powerhouse of emotion as the wrought and persecuted Elizabeth Proctor. Excellent performances are also given by Emma Cunniffe as Mary Warren, Patrick Godfry as Giles Corey. Philip Cumbus as Hale gives a strong performance but one feels he is slightly too young to be completely believable as a learned man that the village would call upon. The weakest link is Patrick O’Kane as John Proctor the poor and uncolourful vocal delivery he gives is the shows real Achilles heal.

Overall this is a production that has all the style but very little substance and one that leaves you feeling a little deflated after investing just over three hours of your life too.