REVIEW: The Crucible (Dominion Stage)

There’s a reason we all have to read Arthur Miller plays in high school: the man could write a play. His works — often highly character-driven with deep motivations and allegories — resonate in contemporary America as they did in the mid-20th century. And while their themes still merit debate as well, the text remains strong enough to find home across all levels of American theatre, from the epic heights of Broadway to smaller-scale community houses. Such is the case with Dominion Stage’s terrific production of 1953’s The Crucible, onstage through this weekend at Theatre on the Run in Arlington.

Book

I have to hand it to Miller: showing the parallels of the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism, then contemporary, is a genius storytelling device. It helps that he is a master of dialogue and rich character-building, too. From the first lines, everyone is so richly developed that it’s nigh-impossible to lose focus. Set in the early decades of Puritan Massachusetts, witchcraft is a concern: the village girls were seen dancing naked around a fire with Tituba, a Barbadian slave, and now one of them has fallen ill with an incurable malaise. When Reverend Hale arrives following the failure of medicine, all fingers point to the Devil. What suddenly was a blind force of evil has now wrought the community. Suddenly it makes sense: why one woman’s last seven pregnancies were stillborn, why the crops aren’t growing, whatever else ails you. But how? Was it Tituba’s rejection of the Lord and subsequent blood feast? Was it John Proctor’s continued, barely-concealed lechery? The community distaste for their preacher, Samuel Parris? Suggestions lead to finger-pointing -lead to accusations and eventual death, in ways that feel all too natural, and so frightening. It’s a heavy, soul-sucking play that is constantly delivering sucker punches and continues to reveal much about the America we’ve built, and how it started. 9/10

Acting

Welcome to the DMV, where our theatre scene is so good that the oft-maligned epithet of “community theatre” is on-par or even better than some of the highest professional levels. The definitive casting in this production serves to prove this further. A passionate ensemble is anchored by the buttery agnosticism of Matthew J. Murray’s John Proctor and his relationships: whether it with his beleaguered wife, Elizabeth (the tireless Malerie Goodman), or his mistress Abigail Williams (the devilishly innocent Anna Mae Murphy). The triad bathes themselves in scorn via commandingly hellish performances — that for their sake I’m glad they only have to do three times a week. Jacqueline Youm’s Tituba and Shakil Azizi’s Rev. Hale were further standouts: the former creating a pitiful display of cultural otherness in the face of maleficent faith, and the latter with an astoundingly grounded portrayal of someone whose faith in the law of God disintegrates before their very eyes. 9/10

Production

I expected more from the (still solid!) scenic design — even if it only takes place in two rooms — given how conscious Danni Guy’s direction is with the black box. It’s easy to make the space feel too crowded or too sparse with certain scenes. Yet, Guy cleverly hinders the isolation called for in parts of the book by having actors’ hawklike eyes glare from the wings (especially Murphy’s fearsome scowl). The establishment of this lack of busyness makes way for excellent use of crowds in the second act when each character is discomforting each other. An unsung hero that prevails in the courtroom drama of Act II is Jeff Auerbach and Kimberly Crago’s malfeasant lighting design. 7/10
Viz

Whilst I can’t say much for its grayscale, cruciform imagery that adorns the program, I applaud the theatre’s efforts to evoke immersion for such a scarce space. When the house opens, you arrive in the church, with already a congregation of believers quietly in communion. It itself removes the possibility of a pre-show chat, and averts your attention to the staging, in which the cast swivels with gossip and faith. The vibes are taut with tension before a single line is uttered. 7/10

Verdict

Dominion Stage’s excellent rendition of Arthur Miller’s classic is familiar yet loaded with talent, creating a wholly thrilling experience. 32/40