'The Crucible' at Queen Mother Theatre - youth, but not kids

The latest production by Big Spirit, directed by Rory Reynolds, is 'The Crucible'. Tonight was the last night and I partly went to see it as my son had a small part.

I was impressed with the maturity of the cast (including my own Freddie) and their ability to maintain the darkness of the text. It really was an outstanding production: simple costumes, little make-up and a sparse set. They relied on the words - and the way those words were conveyed - to carry the whole drama. I've read the play with students and seen it performed many times, but the ending was still shocking and disturbing.

There was a parallel to the film I reviewed last week - how far can Joh Proctor be pushed in this case, and how will he finally respond? Principles and their application gives food for thought. I guess that's what Arthur Miller was going for when he wrote the play.