“The Crucible” by Arthur Miller.
People’s Theatre Company
Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Written in 1953 and based on the Salem Witch trials of Massachusettes between 1692 and 1693. In a small tight-knit community, personal grievances clash with lust and superstition, fuelling widespread hysteria. Miller’s classic story attacks the evils of mindless persecution and the power of false accusations.

The play isn’t wholly about supernatural happenings that may, or may not have happened in this period of history, but also about human manipulation of the mind of their fellow man.

Making someone believe in something non fact based can be a very dangerous thing, which is also why there are so many comparisons with the political world since and currently. The power of the mind is a dangerous thing!

It’s also about power, lust, respect and love as well as unfounded belief; an intoxicating blend. Fact is swirled with fiction and it’s well documented that Miller did his research well before writing this literary classic, which still stands up with the best of today’s theatrical works.

A stark, but effective set design by Bob Wood. The production was well directed by Jessica McLean; it built the tension up nicely.

The costumes (Sally Nix) brought the characters to life and while there wasn't an abundance of props, the ones used were well utilised.

The 20 strong cast gave a powerful and emotional performance which kept the audience on the edge of their seats. So silent they were you could hear them breathing which shows that they were wrapped up in the story and engaged in the actors.

It's not often that you get to praise the whole cast but this is one of those times. Every actor gave everything they had, which made this play a real touch of class. It would be wrong of me to say that one actor was any better than the other because this cast were a big old well oiled theatre machine.

Robert Goll, Emma Carlton, Marina Kyriacou, Christopher Collins, Heather Reynolds, Malcolm Todd, Rob Suttle, Adam Chapman,Robert Robb, Barbara Benner, Gill Cook, Glenn Murphy, John Gill, Lindsey Parr, Nick Parvin, Roy Smith, Sarah Astill, Vicki Reckless, Abby Henderson and Hatty Hollowell, I thank you for a most powerful evening of classic theatre. I can only imagine that you leave that stage completely drained, but so so proud.

“The Crucible” is at the Nottingham Arts Theatre until Saturday 1 April 2017.

Photos by Kelvin P Coleman.