The Crucible - 4 out of 5 stars
Blackwood Players Inc.
TICKETS: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1598577
Written at the height of the McCarthy era hearings in the
United States, The Crucible is a stark reminder of the power of one person
screaming the loudest and causing mass panic. Arthur Miller’s seminal play is a
regular feature in Drama and English studies at school and for good reason. It
is a powerful and, at times, uncomfortable experience. There is little to no light
at all and the bleak finale leaves many audiences crushed. The characters are
flawed and deeply troubled people who are either intentionally or
unintentionally part of the problem or left trying to defend themselves against
a system that does not allow for anyone to be innocent until proven guilty.
To this end, Blackwood Players are to be commended for
tackling this difficult work in a small venue that puts the audience right into
the action. Director Greg Elliot has chosen to set the play not in the Salem of
the 1600’s but in modern day America. This is, perhaps, the least successful
aspect of this production. The first act (combining Miller’s original first two
acts) plays almost like a traditional setting with the exception being the
costumes. Act Two (which combines Miller’s Acts Three and Four) presents more
recent clothing and set pieces but it still feels more abstract than perhaps
Elliot had wanted. With that being said, the production still works. The set
pieces by Jeremy Davidson-Tear are functional and appropriate for the otherwise
bare stage.
The assembled cast is an excellent blend of veteran
experience and exciting young talent. It is a delight to see Harry Dewar step
away from the director’s chair and deliver a magnificently paced performance as
Judge Danforth. It is a masterclass in precision of dialogue and stage presence.
Nic Bellis as the ultimately doomed John Proctor delivers a
knockout performance that stretches across the entire three hours of the play.
The wrestling of his conscience that marks so much of this character is
beautifully played out with a deep, resonant voice that also has the power to
go quiet and yet still be heard.
Phoebe Wilson as the honest Elizabeth Proctor is a model of
restraint and displays much emotion (particularly in her final moments with
John) without going into hysterics. Perrin Abbas breathes some strong life into
the maid Tituba from her memorable opening scene to her final moments towards
the end of the play.
Philip Lineton brings the closest thing to a comedy relief
we have as the old farmer Giles Corey. His perfect dialogue and body language
are a joy to watch which makes this character’s offstage fate even sadder.
Carly Whittaker makes the most out of her small role as court clerk Erica
Cheever with a sneering smile that would melt ice, while Ollie Xu delivers an
outstanding turn as John Willard- the Sheriff and prison warden who is just
doing his job.
Of the younger cast, Susan Cilento is absolutely fantastic
as protagonist Abagail Williams. Absolutely inhabiting this character even when
silent, she demonstrates the power of manipulation fully without any knowing
winks to the audience. She is an actress to watch for sure.
Katie Adams, as Mary Warren, also delivers an incredibly
strong performance, firstly as one of Abagail’s followers and then as a
turncoat who brings on Abagail’s wrath in the tense courtroom scene.
Dylan Brinton-Pickering warms up into his role as the
corrupt Rev Samuel Parris. It is in the second half when this young man’s
potential is reached. Will Dunn is an absolute knockout as Rev John Hale and
the journey his character goes on is well thought out and presented. Both men
should be commended for tackling these almost thankless roles with much care
and thought.
Charlotte Whittaker gives an excellent cameo as the
possessed Betty Parris before settling in to become part of an excellent group
of young ladies playing Abagail’s followers. Hayley Jade Travis, Eva Wilde.
Amethyst Mae, and Eva Yoxall-Vale do outstanding work as the followers under
the thumb of the manipulative Abagail. Their opening scene and their harrowing
Act Two courtroom scene are absolute highlights. Sarah Whittaker in her small cameo
as a young prisoner is also memorable in her strong delivery and
characterisation.
Alice Redlinghuys pulls double duty, firstly as the
concerned Ann Putnam in Act One before hitting her stride as the cold Judge
Hathorne in Act Two. Both characters are very different and Alice does a great
job in separating the two of these characters.
Doug De Souza puts on an excellent turn as the opportunistic
Thomas Putnam. His time on stage is limited but memorable. His Act Two scene
just oozes the slimeball factor perfectly.
Francois Finlayson and Geoff Hastwell as Rebecca and Francis
Nurse round out the cast effectively. Hastwell, especially, brings on a
heartbreaking performance that resonated with much of the audience.
The limitations of the Tower Arts Centre mean that some
technical aspects of the production are not as slick as it could be. Scene
changes seem under rehearsed (with a few cast members wandering on in the dark
and then walking off without moving anything) and loud, clunky heels on the
hard floor distract from some of the dialogue and makes the scene changes louder
than they should be.
Accents are also an issue with a few of the cast struggling
to maintain an American accent and a few simply going with their natural
Australian accent. This can pull people out of the drama which is unfortunate.
Sound and lighting are excellent in their non-obtrusiveness
and a credit to the tech crew running them.
Regardless of these issues, this is a production that deserves to be seen and Blackwood players should be immensely proud of the efforts put in to stage this giant of a play that, sadly, has more resonance today than many people would like to think.
- Rodney Hrvatin
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