The Crucible

The Guthrie presents The Crucible

The case of the Salem witch trails is still one of the most infamous losses of innocent lives, and has gone down in history as an example of how mass hysteria can compound superstition and lead to fatal consequences. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller's seminal Tony winning contribution to the American dramatic canon, he brings the 1692 community of strong moral purists to life, and allows us to find, in the reflection, the atrocities commuted in the 1950s, in the similarly panicked climate under the shadow of McCarthyism.

For the first time in 4 decades, the Guthrie is presenting Miller's masterpiece, as part of long-reigning Artistic Director Joe Dowling's Farewell season. A raw and powerful piece of theater, it is a true American classic and a valuable lesson in how judgement can be clouded by paranoia, and that those who hide behind their stiff principals are usually the ones who fall the hardest.

Based on a true story, mostly : What is the Crucible about?

In Salem in 1692, the town is agog at the rumour that witches may live amongst them. When Abigail Williams and her friends are caught taking part in a suspicious looking ritual, they claim to have been possessed by these witches.

As tensions mount and accusations are layered upon everybody, it becomes clear that Abigail may be using her notoriety as a way to damn the devout John Proctor, her married ex-lover and implicate his wife in crimes for which the price is her life...

Thrilling and insightful The Crucible is still a visceral and damning look at the nature of humanity and remains important, even in the present day.