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A review by skmcclelland
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
4.0
I love this play and yet am doomed to never EVER see a good production of it. Are there good productions of it? Or is it something that is somehow only exciting on the page? Which is especially weird for a play. But that's been my experience with it over the last 12 years or so since I read it the first time and fell in love with it. For whatever reason, I didn't read this one in high school or college (lived under a rock, apparently!), so finally read it when I was auditioning for a production and desperately wanted to be Abigail. Ended up not getting anything, but since that production ended up being such a train wreck, all the better for me, I think.
Now I've read it again for book group/One Book, One Chicago and still love it, although I had to miss the discussion b/c Eliza was sick. It resonated even more this time as we are obviously living in a culture of ruling by fear (hopefully coming out of it a bit now as no one seems to listen to the administration much, no matter how hard they try to trot out their own witches). I love Arthur Miller's writing, even at its clunkiest, although there are mercifully few clunkers in this one and they are easily forgiven b/c all the dialogue is so stylistic. These characters are passionate even in their repressed way of living and they make me sad. So sad.
The production at Steppenwolf got GREAT reviews and I was so excited to go. Unfortunately, the night we saw was the first night with several replacement actors and it was dreadful. Train wreck, again. No rhythm, actors clearly not knowing their lines, nothing ever built to a dramatic climax - instead people just seemed to start shrieking out of nowhere. I was so disappointed. And I think it's my own personal curse to carry forever - I'll never see a good production of this play!
Now I've read it again for book group/One Book, One Chicago and still love it, although I had to miss the discussion b/c Eliza was sick. It resonated even more this time as we are obviously living in a culture of ruling by fear (hopefully coming out of it a bit now as no one seems to listen to the administration much, no matter how hard they try to trot out their own witches). I love Arthur Miller's writing, even at its clunkiest, although there are mercifully few clunkers in this one and they are easily forgiven b/c all the dialogue is so stylistic. These characters are passionate even in their repressed way of living and they make me sad. So sad.
The production at Steppenwolf got GREAT reviews and I was so excited to go. Unfortunately, the night we saw was the first night with several replacement actors and it was dreadful. Train wreck, again. No rhythm, actors clearly not knowing their lines, nothing ever built to a dramatic climax - instead people just seemed to start shrieking out of nowhere. I was so disappointed. And I think it's my own personal curse to carry forever - I'll never see a good production of this play!