The Crucible

The Crucible is a 1953 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller (born 1915). It was initially called "The Chronicles of Sarah Good". It is a haunting play reflecting on McCarthyism and a dramatization of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. It was first performed at the Martin Beck Theater on Broadway on January 22, 1953. Miller felt that this production was too stylized and cold and the reviews for it were largely hostile (although The New York Times noted "a powerful play [in a] driving performance"). Nonetheless, the production won the 1953 "Best Play" Tony Award. A year later a new production succeeded and the play became a classic. It is a central work in the canon of American drama.

Translations and adaptations

The Crucible was translated into Afrikaans by Sandra Kotzé under the title Die Hekse van Salem ("The Witches of Salem") (1982).

Performance history in South Africa

First South African production by *** in 19**.

1959: Directed by Leonard Schach for the Witwatersrand University Dramatic Society at the University Great Hall in April, starring Clive Hirschorn and Molly Seftel.

1965: Presented by the Arts Theatre Association, Cape Town, at the Labia Theatre, directed by Leonard Schach, starring Joss Ackland, Costa Couvara, André Huguenet, Johann Nell and June Range. Decor by Giuseppe Cappon and costumes by Ena Bang.

1975: PACT staged a production directed by Barney Simon, featuring xxx (John Proctor), xxx (Elizabeth Proctor), xxx (Deputy-Governor Danforth), xxx (Reverend John Hale), xxx (Abigail Williams), xxx (Giles Corey), xxx (Rebecca Nurse), xxx (Mary Warren), xxx (Reverend Parris), xxx (Ann Putnam), xxx (Mercy Lewis), xxx (Susanna Walcott), xxx (Tituba), xxx (Betty Parris), xxx (Marshal Herrick), xxx (Thomas Putnam), xxx (Ezekiel Cheever) and xxx (Judge Hathorne). Decor by xxx, costumes by xxx and Lighting by xxx.

1976: A production directed by Janice Honeyman opened on 5 July Upstairs at the Market.

1981: PACT staged a production directed by William Egan, featuring Ron Smerczak (John Proctor), Sandra Prinsloo (Elizabeth Proctor), Patrick Mynhardt (Deputy-Governor Danforth), Bobby Heaney (Reverend John Hale), Diane Britz (Abigail Williams), Anthony James (Giles Corey), Margaret Heale (Rebecca Nurse), Pamela Gien (Mary Warren), Nigel Vermaas (Reverend Parris), Pauline Bailey (Ann Putnam), Theresa Iglich (Mercy Lewis), Karen Lebos (Susanna Walcott), Mara Louw (Tituba), Joan Metelerkamp (Betty Parris), Norman Anstey (Marshal Herrick), Ian Steadman (Thomas Putnam), Peter Terry (Ezekiel Cheever) and Ronald Wallace (Judge Hathorne). Decor by Johan Badenhorst, costumes by Frances Michaletos and Lighting by Jannie Swanepoel.

1982: The Kotzé Afrikaans translation, Die Hekse van Salem was presented by PACOFS, directed by Sandra Kotzé, starring Marko van der Colff, Franz Gräbe, Louw Verwey, Ben de Koker, Suzette Mullins, Helen Ortell, Karin Retief, Hannelie Tolken, Francesca Bantock, Chris Fourie, Libby Daniels, Sulette Minnaar, Anna Cloete, George Barnes, Anton Welman, Antoinette Kellermann, Pieter Brand, Louis Minnaar, Henry Mylne and André Retief. Decor by Johan Badenhorst, costumes by James Parker, lighting by Brian Evans.

1983: Presented by University Theatre Stellenbsoch in the H.B. Thom Theatre in September, adapted and directed by Noël Roos, starring Gustav Geldenhuys, Isadora Verwey, Antoinette Pienaar, Albert Maritz, Robert Finlayson, Neels Engelbrecht and others.

1986: A Herschel School production, directed by Dawn McClurg, was performed in the Baxter Studio.

1996: Presented by the Market Theatre at the National Arts Festival, directed by Lara Foot Newton. Set designer Cathy Henegan, costume designer Sue Steele, lighting designer Richard Barnes, accent coach Dorothy-Ann Gould. The cast: Marcel van Heerden, Graham Hopkins, Frantz Dobrowsky, Megan Wilson, Michael Gritten, Thembi Mtshali, Alan T. Marks, Norman Coombes, Bella Mariani, Yael Farber, Amanda Lane, Ken Marshall, Kyla Davis, Sarah Woodward, Carla Grauls, Ntombiyoxolo Tshabalala.

1999: Blaise Koch, assisted by Samantha Pienaar, directed students of the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department for a production in the H.B. Thom Theatre. Designs by Kobus Rossouw. Members of the cast were, among others, Neels van Jaarsveld, André Weideman, Floyed de Vaal, Jenny Stead.

2014: A production by students of the Department of Drama and Film (Drama)at the Tshwane University of Technology. The venue is the Breytenbach Theatre, Pretoria (25 February to 1 March)and the play is directed by Nkosinathi Joachim Gaar.