The Crucible
Written by Arthur Miller
Directed by Ben Barnes
When: Sunday, March 8, 2pm
Where: Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts
(University of Delaware, Newark, DE)
Photo courtesy of the REP
Regardless of whether it was good or bad, it is incredibly unfortunate that the University of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players' production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible (and the remainder of their season) had to be sidelined due to the coronavirus pandemic. It's perhaps even more stinging because the production was a solid presentation of a classic, yet incredibly relevant, play that in this day and age really speaks to the mob mentality that social media, media in general, and politics play in literally wrecking lives without any basis of fact. I think no matter which side of the political spectrum you fall, you can find something relevant in Arthur Miller's resonant work which nearly all of us read in high school, but really comes to life when you see it on a stage.
The production (which the REP says they're hoping to return to next season) admittedly started off on a bit of shaky ground. Something about the dialect and the pace of speaking led to some odd line readings in the initial scenes from both members of the REP and the large cast of guest actors (some of whom admittedly fare better than others as the play progresses). Soon enough, however, things started to gel despite the unique concept from director Ben Barnes to seemingly squarely place this in a time long ago (a la the 1600s) with most of the set design and costumes, yet pepper in some obviously modern touches like a car and modern suits. This juxtaposition plays with the audience's mind, making us realize the relevance to our times.
A true ensemble piece, guest actors Jacqueline Correa and Izabel Mar as Elizabeth Proctor and Mary Warren respectively were the strongest performances to me, creating much emotional impact with their storylines with leads Maria Guivar (as Abigail Williams) and René Thornton, Jr. (as John Proctor). Somehow, though, unlike other REP shows where I always find a particular actor who truly moves me, The Crucible felt much more of an ensemble piece to me than most the REP produces.
Frankly, the acting and the production values pale in comparison to the written word that Arthur Miller created so many decades ago that still rings to incredibly relevant today. It's an amazing work of art that Miller crafted and I look forward to a future reinterpretation or replaying of this relevant piece of art.
