What if the end of the tunnel was dark, and you couldn’t even blame yourself for your wrongdoings? Well, the answer’s simple — just blame your friends. At least, that’s what Abigail Williams did.
Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” which premiered by the theater department on Oct. 31, tells a tale of death and despair caused by rumors and unrelenting blind faith.
Abigail Williams (Blu Hunt), a seemingly sweet, run-of-the-mill Puritan teenager in 1600’s Salem, is caught dancing in the woods with other teenagers by her uncle, Reverend Samuel Parris (Alex Clark). Hysteria breaks soon after when Abigail blames the sinful act she was caught in on demonic possession, causing the whole town to crusade against any potential witch in order to bring salvation upon themselves.
The lighting is the first thing that caught my attention when the play started. Abigail and the girls are dancing around an artificial fire pit, casting a soft glow on the girls as their shadows ripple across the dimly lit stage. It shows the sketchiness of the night, and how no girl could have guessed that Parris was about to see them because of the darkness. Clark’s thundering voice roared with anger and dismay as his character discovers the wrongful acts committed by the girls of Salem. It literally sent shivers down my spine. I wasn’t even dancing and I was scared of him.
Then comes Abigail’s time to shine in the scene after the capture by Rev. Parris. Parris’ daughter Betty (Taylor Loew) is in a coma after the previous event and he’s extremely distraught. Abigail attempts to soothe him but he’s still angry about what she did. There’s a lot of screaming in this scene because Abigail’s good girl reputation is being questioned by her uncle and she wants to convince him she’s still a sweetheart, and Hunt’s portrayal of it is absolutely on spot. Everything from the furrowed eyebrows to the heated finger-pointing fiasco whirled Abigail to life. It was like I was watching the Puritan version of “Basketball Wives” as Hunt seamlessly puts together Abigail’s fight for her reputation. It ends up working because Parris just walks up and leaves her alone. Or he just doesn’t want to see his daughter lay in bed like a dead fish. Maybe it’s both.
Sometimes it’s not just the bloodcurdling drama that hooks your attention; it’s the sentimental, sugary moments that glue you to your seat. For me, those moments are everything with John Proctor (Scott Padian) and Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth (Caitlin Shantz).
Proctor’s struggle in “The Crucible” is rather unique. He’s sort of the anti-Puritan in the story, with his shaggy appearance and indifferent attitude in a place where the majority are uptight Christians. He hardly even goes to church (watch out for this one, kids!). Proctor sees through Abigail’s game of convicting people left and right just to save herself, and he gives his all to convince the town that she’s not doing anything moral. This drive is only enhanced when Abigail convicts Elizabeth of being a witch, where Proctor now has to save his wife along with his friends.
Padian and Shantz’ chemistry on stage is captivating. Though they are both playing a couple, nothing is done awkwardly. It all flows and looks completely natural. You can really see the hurt in Elizabeth’s eyes as Proctor thrashes and cries about how insane this whole situation is. The way Elizabeth tenderly touches Proctor’s cheek and tearfully embraces him as he faces the punishment for acting on what he believes in brought tears to my eyes. It’s wonderful to see how Padian and Shantz take this love between the two people they must embody, and turn it into something completely believable.
On another note, the costumes used in the play are not incredibly authentic, but they do the job. A lot of them look Halloween costume-y, like Ezekiel Cheever’s. There are times when the play is boring, like during the court case where there is more repetitive yelling about answering the question that the judge asks rather than revealing information to move the play along. If you’ve already read The Crucible or have seen the movie, then it’s mostly just a recap. The background score, dramatic lighting, and professional performance by an outstandingly talented cast, however, give it such a thrill that even the most seasoned fan will want to continue watching. “The Crucible” is definitely a must see.
Performances continue to run Wednesday Nov. 7 through Saturday Nov. 10. Pricing is seven dollars for students and general admission is ten dollars.
by KAVLEEN SINGH
