Review: THE CRUCIBLE, Shakespeare's Globe

The Globe Theatre is no stranger to witches, but usually this takes the form of the Wyrd Sisters in the Scottish Play rather than a trip to Salem in the 1690s. It's a rare thing indeed for a non-Shakespeare play to take pride of place at the heart of The Globe Theatre during the summer season, let alone a 20th century classic, so this outdoor production of The Crucible is marked out as pretty special before it even starts.

Two young girls in Salem have been taken sick in mysterious circumstances, leading the town authorities to believe that witchcraft must be involved. Keen to divert attention from herself, Abigail Williams confesses that she has been tempted but now sees the light; she and her cousin Betty then proceed to divulge names of townsfolk they claim to have seen in the devil's company and, along with a group of their peers, quickly become relied upon as witnesses and whistle-blowers for other witches.

Chaos is wrought on Salem, but all the while a select group of locals stands firm. Among them is John Proctor, Abigail's former employer and the married object of her affections - but does she have the nerve to bring the whole town down, just for the outside chance that he'll become free to take her as his second wife..?

The Crucible was famously written at the height of the McCarthy Trials and the so-called 'Red Scare', as an allegory for the anti-Communist hysteria that hit America in the 1950s. Whilst this aspect of the play is frequently explored in productions (and feels perennially relevant), Ola Ince's new version also interrogates the colonial context of the time, as well as the role of illicit sexual attraction. The former is beautifully portrayed by having the cast speak with British or Irish accents, rather than the usual generic American that would not necessarily have been prevalent amongst settlers at this time - the text flows wonderfully this way, and is the most poetic I've ever heard it.

Interestingly, Ince kicks off proceedings with a pre-show that starts around 15 minutes before the show proper. It's a decent atmosphere-builder, with Mr Parris frantic at Betty's bedside and local militia patrolling the grounds; a nice thought, although it's not vital to see it in order to enjoy or appreciate the production as a whole. I'd actually just advocate for evening performances to begin half an hour earlier, given that the running time is approximately three hours.

Amelia Jane Hankin's design includes two small islands in the yard, which are mostly used when we reach the court proceedings: one to seat the judges, the other for the group of young women acting as "officials of the court". As if you don't feel immersed enough when you're at a production in The Globe Theatre, this pulls you directly into proceedings, with the groundlings seeming as complicit in events as the company. The design makes the wooden theatre feel like a slightly grander version of a settler's house, with meagre but matching furniture - it certainly makes this modern historical play a natural fit for the performance space.

There are memorable performances from Hannah Saxby as the vengeful Abigail, Howard Ward as the witty but later regretful Giles Corey, and Joanne Howarth as the honest and good Rebecca Nurse. Gareth Snook almost steals the show in the second half with a well-dressed and precisely-enunciated turn as Deputy Governor Danforth.

It is Gavin Drea, however, who shines brightest as John Proctor - a decent man who recognises his own imperfections, but still strives to set a good example for his peers and his sons. As well as being a physically imposing presence, Drea is adept at both comedy and tragedy, delivering Proctor's cutting one-liners with great timing and expertly harvesting the drama in later scenes. "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" cuts like a knife through the hearts of the audience, too invested at this point to remember that they are watching a play and not a real person. An extraordinary, career-defining performance from Drea.

It's clear to me that this experiment in bringing something slightly different to the Globe stage has been an unqualified success. This Arthur Miller play continues to be an important piece for our times, and Ola Ince has managed to breathe fresh life into it with this compelling production. The only oversight is that there isn't a midnight matinée planned, so there'll be no witches at the witching hour here. Nonetheless, a vital watch that doesn't feel as long as the running time suggests - get booking before you miss your chance.

Buy Tickets to The Crucible - Shakespeare's Globe