Stripped back Crucible gets audience close and personal

Stripped back Crucible gets audience close and personal

A stripped back Stagecraft production of the classic Arthur Miller play, The Crucible, opens at the Gryphon Theatre, just in time for Halloween.

Set in old Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1600s, The Crucible is a partially fictionalised documentation of the terrifying power of false accusations. When a young girl and her friends accuse innocent people who have slighted them of witchcraft, widespread hysteria is sparked and a rampage of personal vendettas destroys the community.

Director Joshua Hopton-Stewart says The Crucible is a play that’s stuck in his mind ever since he performed the role of Reverend Parris at high school.

“The flaws of characters can be seen in ourselves and the people we know. Aspects of the story such as infidelity, hysteria, the sense of frustration and powerlessness against authority, are all parallel issues that we face today,” says Joshua.

Conscious of the play’s dense dialogue, Joshua and his cast have been working hard to activate moments in the script that lend themselves well to a heightened level of physicality and visual interest.

“We've decided to stage the production in traverse – we thought with the audience on each side, surrounding the stage it would create a sense of claustrophobia. It also means that the audience are much closer and more involved in the action. I really want to evoke a very personal reaction for them.”

The Crucible opens on 28 October 2015 and runs until 7 November. Tickets $20 and $25. High school students with a valid ID $15. Two tickets for $30 deal applies on Thursday 29 October. Bookings www.stagecraft.co.nz. A special Halloween performance is planned for Saturday 31 October with audience members invited to dress up in theme and prizes offered.

ENDS

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