With no lighting effects or sound effects and few costumes, the fact that The Crucible was still amazing is a testament to the brilliant casting and directing of the play.
I was warned not to expect perfection, since the production was still in the dress rehearsal stage. Indeed, the numerous pairs of Adidas running shoes on the 17th-century characters were a distraction at first, but they were soon forgotten as the talented actors began to strut their stuff.
Taken literally, the Arthur Miller play is about the Salem witch trials of the 17th century, where hundreds of women were accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake.
It is also a metaphor for the McCarthy era’s ruthless hunt for Communism in the U.S.
The most striking performances came from lead actors Dave Alpay and Sundhya Walther as Mr. & Mrs. Proctor, who both, at different times, found themselves accused of witchcraft.
Despite his being sick that night, Alpay’s smooth and subtle, yet passionate mannerisms were ever so seductive. He was able to capture a reality that is beyond even this reality. Mind you, after seeing this play, I’m sure all the ladies out there will agree that even listening to Alpay read stock quotes would be enthralling.
The supporting cast was also strong. Margot Finley, David Veneziano and Chris Kent particularly stood out in the web of people caught up in the witch-hunt.
If there was any weakness in the cast, it was with the characters of Betty and Mary, two of the girls believed to be witches. Watching these actors was reminiscent of a poor high school drama, complete with fake tears and over-acting galore.
While a cast of 20 people would often appear claustrophobic on a stage this size, director Andrew Manera did an excellent job of giving people their own space. He also didn’t clutter the stage, using only a few chairs and tables (and windows, which hadn’t arrived yet). The trial scenes were also particularly well-staged, with superb actors as judges to boot.
One of the highlights of the night was when the entire cast seemed to forget their lines and break down in laughter. While literary elitists may not favour such acts, I was quite amused. Ah, to be human again!
Despite the fact that the play runs about 2½ hours and can stretch long in parts, the U of T Drama Society’s production of The Crucible should not be missed.
