Charlie Condou And Victoria Yeates Star in Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch and Major Tour

Salem in the seventeenth century is a place where truth holds no currency, where fear is used as a political tool and where intruding threats are invented to explain current woes.

Full casting has been announced for the Selladoor Productions and Queen's Theatre Hornchurch production of Arthur Miller's blistering classic American drama The Crucible. Charlie Condou, who is best known for the role of midwife Marcus Dent in Coronation Street, will be playing the witch-hunter Reverend Hale and Call The Midwife star Victoria Yeates takes on the role of Elizabeth Proctor. They will be joined by Eoin Slattery, whose career includes roles at The National Theatre, The Royal Exchange Theatre and Hull Truck, as John Proctor and Lucy Keirl, who recently took the role of Juliet in The Watermill's 2016 production of Romeo and Juliet, as Abigail Williams. Other cast members comprise, Paul Beech as Francis Nurse, David Delve as Giles Corey, Cornelius Clarke as Reverend Parris, Diana Yekinni as Tituba and Mercy Lewis, David Kirkbride as Ezekiel Cheever, Eleanor Montgomery as Ann Putnam and SusAnna Walcott, Augustina Seymour as Mary Warren and Rebecca Nurse, Leona Allen as Betty Parris and Carl Patrick as Thomas Putnam and Marshall Herrick.

The Crucible is directed by Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director of the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, who takes a Brechtian approach to this potent story of frail reason in the face of hysteria. The production draws parallels with Trump's America and Post Brexit UK where truth is no longer an absolute and daily reports of race-driven hate crime fill the news.

One of the twentieth century's landmark dramas, Arthur Miller's The Crucible stands as both a historical record and a political parable for our times. The unrelenting and violent witch-hunt, which was originally written as an allegory about the brutal reign McCarthyism, which swept across the political landscape of 1950s America, resonates into the present day as a stark and ferocious warning from the past.

The production, which is also produced in association with Les Théatres de la Ville de Luxembourg, opens at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch on February 17 and then tours the UK and will include dates in Luxembourg in April (full schedule below)

Douglas Rintoul says -
'The Crucible speaks more to us now than it has done since its premiere in 1953. I'm thrilled to be directing this terrifying play and for this production to be reaching audiences across the UK and in Luxembourg through this innovative partnership'.

David Hutchinson, Executive Creative Producer of Selladoor Productions says -
"We are delighted to be working with the Queens Theatre, with Douglas Rintoul at the helm bringing one of the most important plays of the last century on a major UK Tour. We've got a fantastic company after months of casting, and can't wait to get into rehearsals at Selladoor HQ in January"

Selladoor Productions are a leading producer of mid and large-scale productions including recent successful UK tours of The History Boys, Sunset Song, Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose, and American Idiot.

The Queen's Theatre is an award-winning producing house, which has been serving audiences in East London, Essex and beyond for over 60 years. It presents over eight productions in its 500-seater auditorium each year. Under the stewardship of Douglas Rintoul it has recently produced the highly acclaimed regional premiere of the West End Musical Made In Dagenham.

Friday 17th February - Saturday 11th March
HORNCHURCH Queen's Theatre
Box Office www.queens-theatre.co.uk | 01708 443333

Tuesday 14th March - Saturday 18th March
DARTFORD Orchard Theatre
Box Office www.orchardtheatre.co.uk | 01322 220000

Monday 20th March - Saturday 25th March
CHELTENHAM Everyman Theatre
Box Office www.everymantheatre.org.uk | 01242 572573

Tuesday 28th March - Saturday 1st April
ABERDEEN His Majesty's Theatre
Box Office www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/venues/his-majestys-theatre | 01224 641122

Thursday 6th April - Friday 7th April
LUXEMBOURG Les Théatres de la Ville de Luxembourg
Box Office www.theatres.lu <http://www.theatres.lu>

Tuesday 11th April - Saturday 15th April
RICHMOND Theatre
Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre | 0870 060 6651

Monday 24th April - Saturday 29th April
BRIGHTON Theatre Royal
Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton | 0844 871 7650

Monday 8th May - Saturday 13th May
MANCHESTER Opera House
Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester | 0844 871 7650

Tuesday 23rd May - Saturday 27th May
CARDIFF New Theatre
Box Office www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk | 029 2087 8889

Monday 29th May - Saturday 3rd June
COLCHESTER Mercury Theatre
Box Office www.mercurytheatre.co.uk <http://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk> | 01206 573948

Monday 5th June- Saturday 10th June
BIRMINGHAM New Alexandra Theatre
Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/ new-alexandra-theatre-birmingham | 0844 871 3011

Monday 12th June - Saturday 17th June
GLASGOW Theatre Royal
Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow | 0844 871 7647