THE CRUCIBLE
Directed by Alan MacPherson

CAST

Jason Crompton as John Proctor
Liz Ritson as Elizabeth Proctor
Ken Moss as Rev John Hale
Zoe Duffin as Abigail Williams
Melissa Taylor as Mary Warren
Brian Clarke as Dept. Gov. Danforth
Allan Mayer as Rev. Samuel Parris
Barry Callander as Thomas Putnam
Joanne Cunliffe as Ann Putnam
Bobbie Day as Rebecca Nurse
Alan Pearson as Francis Nurse
Lekani Dodd as Tutuba
Lucia Conway as Betty Parris
Kate Burke as Mercy Lewis
Emily Cookson as Susanna Walcott
John Sangster as Giles Corey
Arthur Taylor as Judge Hathorne
Dave Hartley as Marshal Herrick
Martin Pearce as Ezekial Cheever

NODA review by Colin Magenty

This play, probably the best known of Arthur Miller's work, along with All my Sons, is, in my opinion, one of the strongest dramas written for the stage.
With a minimal set the costumes become more important. For this piece to work the acting has to be at a sustained level which means all, and I mean all, members of the cast have to concentrate and at no point relax. A tall order, but one which any society which considers its ability to be such that the words 'professional production' would apply means that it gives of its very best and to give value for money. And boy, did they do that!
All this was on show at Chorley Little Theatre in a production of which the society and Mr MacPherson can be justly proud. Sometimes it takes a play like this to show how much talent there is at a theatre. What a pity the audience numbers did not match what this show deserved - their loss I fear!
The cast was large, 21 in total, and all performed well, never losing their individual character and all continuing to act when others held the limelight. The children were excellent. And two were outstanding: Abigail by Zoe Duffin and Mary Warren, performed superbly by Melissa Justine Taylor. Of the men, Alan Mayer continued to give a super portrayal of Parris as did Barry Callendar who played Putnam. Another to give of his best was Ken Moss playing the difficult part of The Rev.John Hale. Another performance to cherish was that of John Sangster who played farmer Giles Corey.
Superb wigs were used, all added to the final effect. Those involved in the court scene, Bobby Day, Alan Pearson, Martin Pearce, Dave Hartley, Arthur Taylor, and last, but not least, Brian Clarke gave good strong performances and held the tension that the scene requires.
Finally two further performances I have left till last: they were both played with a sincerity which came over the footlights in waves. The roles of Elizabeth and John Proctor were a joy. My congratulations to both Liz Ritson and Jason Crompton for some fine acting and to a cast that will have to do something very special to match this. I look forward to the attempt and my sincere thanks for a wonderful night of drama at its very best.


Chorley Guardian review by Vanessa Taylor

'There is always a niggling fear that amateur dramatists will fail miserably when they stray from one-dimensional comedies.
But as is so often true of the Little Theatre, they have proved that stereotype wrong and dared to challenge one of the most enduring and complex plays of the 20th century.
It is with great pleasure to report that a cast of 21 talented amateurs, under the guidance of Alan MacPherson and Brenda Bartlett, invested Arthur Miller's timeless story of hysteria, persecution and social justice with class and style. The plot charts the story of the infamous Salem witch trials of the 17th century. But Miller intended the play to draw parallels with 1950s McCarthyism when everyday Americans were accused of being communists and the whole country was swept up in a maze of paranoia. Because it is not simply a history play and many levels bounce off one another it seemed doomed to fail on the amateur stage. However, some marvellous acting, especially from the younger cast members, brought the play to life and gave it the depth and inward power it deserves. Melissa Justine Taylor was wonderful as the easily led Mary Warren while Zoe Duffin brought out Abigail Williams' most vindictive side with precision. Special praise goes out to Jason Crompton for his portrayal of the tragic hero John Proctor, a blunt, honest man who hides a secret, fatal flaw. On-stage wife Liz Ritson (Elizabeth Proctor) was outstanding as the broken, faithful wife. The deeply complex scenes and lengthy dialogues give the audience a chance to drift around the themes explored in this doubly entertaining and thought-provoking play. The music, too, though used sparingly, caught the air of paranoia and hysteria at some of the more tense moments. Of course The Crucible achieved its greatest success in the 1950s when America was in thrall to McCarthyism and the Red Scare but at bottom the play is a depiction of how intolerance and hysteria can intersect and tear any community apart. Fantastic and Chorley Little Theatre have again given it resonance in our own equally mixed up and dangerous times.