• The Crucible

11/1/22 (Tues), London National Theatre

A splendid production. The play itself feels overly long with way too many characters and some leaden dialogue, but there’s no denying its powerful narrative drive. The theme is always relevant but felt particularly so after the shocking treatment (at least from a non-American perspective) of those with alternative views during the past several years.

This was thankfully a period production performed in appropriate costume and setting, though the “blind” casting was confusing given that some characters come specifically from the Barbados; I wasn’t sure especially if the preacher, played by a black actor, was also from the Caribbean or supposed to be white, which would have made a difference in the show’s context. The production included Miller’s prologue and epilogue, which should have remained on the page. The play told us everything we needed to know without the speechifying. There were a few modern touches: the play actually began 10 minutes before showtime when rain suddenly came pouring down in front of the open set (splashing audience members in nearby seats – they were given rain gear). The downpour stopped abruptly when the show began, which proved a stunning stage effect, and reappeared several times throughout. I’m not sure what purpose it served since there’s no talk of rain in the play itself, but I’m sure it’s very symbolic and anyway it looked great. The director also used a separate area upstage to feature some moments that are referred to in the dialogue, such as the prisoner being roused to enter the scene. While not strictly necessary, it added another dimension to the proceedings and was an interesting approach.

The cast was generally excellent as per the National’s standard, especially Henry Everett as the judge, Erin Doherty as Abigail, and several of the older men and women. In a large cast of some 30 people, they managed to create singular and credible characters that stood out from the crowd. The two unfortunate exceptions were Brendan Cowell as Proctor and Fisayo Akinade as the preacher, both major characters. The former just didn’t have the vocal heft for the role and took a more casual approach than other actors, standing out in a bad way. He was better in his later scenes of anger and despair, but the part really requires someone with more presence. He was not a good choice for the role. Even worse was the preacher, who delivered his dialogue in a modern conversational style that didn’t fit the period; he seemed to be in a different play than the others. That should have been corrected right away. His mechanical acting was all the more conspicuous given the high quality around him. I wonder if the director was locked into using these guys; the play would have been a very different experience with others in those roles. The Old Vic offers a broadcast of its much-praised version of Crucible that I’m now curious to see for these specific parts.

Still, the direction overall was straightforward and solid, the acting otherwise excellent, the set simple and effective (mainly scattered chairs and occasional furniture), and the lighting evocative. It makes a good case for a memorable play.