⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Five Stars)

It’s a rare treat to see a true modern classic like Arthur Miller’s The Crucible performed on the iconic stage of Shakespeare’s Globe. In this production, the open-air space is used to brilliant effect, transforming the audience into the very townspeople of Salem: watching, judging, and complicit in the unfolding hysteria. The Crucible's themes of fear, suspicion, and societal collapse feel unnervingly immediate in this immersive and electrifying staging.

From the moment you step into the theatre, you're transported to Salem as actors move through the space in character: praying, farming, and performing household tasks with a quiet intensity and fear in their eyes. The rhythmic beating of a drum builds as the performance draws near, ratcheting up the tension in a way that grips you before the first line is spoken. And once the play begins, it does not let go.

Set in Salem during the 1692-3 witch trials, The Crucible - originally written by Miller in 1953 as an allegory for McCarthyism (the equivalent of witch hunts for communists in the United States in the 1940s and 50s) - feels disturbingly urgent in today’s world. The Globe’s standing audience becomes more than just spectators: they are part of the town square, complicit in the accusations flying across and above them, drawn into the hysteria and moral panic at the heart of the play. To stand as a groundling in this production is not just to watch theatre, it is to be part of it. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough.

The staging, with direction by Ola Ince, is classic, not flashy, but that’s entirely appropriate. Miller’s text is so strong it needs no embellishment. Instead, the drama unfolds with gripping pace and clever use of the Globe’s architecture. Characters enter through every corner of the theatre, move through the crowd, and even deliver scenes from platforms amidst the audience (beautifully realized by set designer Amelia Jane Hankin), ensuring that no one is ever just passively watching.

The performances are uniformly excellent. Gavin Drea brings a powerful intensity to John Proctor, while Hannah Saxby is unsettling as Abigail Williams. Gareth Snook as Deputy Governor Danforth is a standout in the second act, playing the absurdity of the proceedings with a darkly comic edge.

At first, the mix of accents (ranging from Irish to West Country to RP) felt jarring given the North American setting. But as the story unfolded, this creative choice revealed its strength, subtly reinforcing the divisions and hierarchies within the community. It’s a thoughtful touch in a production full of smart, layered decisions.

At just under three hours, The Crucible is long: but never once does it drag. The tension is expertly sustained from start to finish, drawing the audience deeper into the rising hysteria with every scene. Shakespeare’s Globe has delivered a masterful and immersive revival that honours the power of Miller’s writing without needing to reinvent it.

The Crucible runs at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre until 12th July 2025.

Tickets are available here: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-crucible/