'The Crucible' at Manchester Royal Exchange

The Crucible

By Arthur Miller

Directed by Caroline Steinbeis

Designed by Max Jones

 

Friday 18 Sept – Saturday 24 Oct

CAROLINE Steinbeis will make her main-stage debut at the Royal Exchange Theatre with her new production of Arthur Miller’s classic THE CRUCIBLE. This follows her critically acclaimed, MTA award-winning production in The Studio of BRILLIANT ADVENTURES, Alistair McDowall’s Bruntwood Prize-winning play. Jonjo O’Neill as John Proctor, Matti Houghton (who returns following her title role in ANTIGONE) as Elizabeth Proctor and Rachel Redford as Abigail Williams lead a cast of 19 in Steinbeis’ stripped-back version of this epic drama.  The production runs from 18 September – 24 October, during the Centenary year of Miller’s birth.

 

THE CRUCIBLE resonates strongly in 2015 and the echoes of Salem reverberate across our world today. The play puts on trial the notion of social and political paranoia in a world of dwindling stability and certainty. Today, in the throes of asylum crises, economic collapse, leadership debates and cuts to public spending, social structures continue to be questioned whilst people's sense of powerlessness is growing ever stronger, making Miller's drama troublingly relevant for 21st Century Britain.

 

Steinbeis comments….

‘It is with shock and awe that I realise how close we all stand to the abyss; how easily a group of people can turn on each other if their circumstance is desperate enough.’

 

Betty Parris lies in a trance after a childish game spins out of control, and accusations of witchcraft are quickly manipulated by those with something to gain. However, when false allegations reach fever pitch, the devout community of Salem descends into a cauldron of hysteria it can never return from. THE CRUCIBLE is a devastating portrayal of the human cost of tyranny and vengeance.

 

Caroline Steinbeis was the recipient of the 2009 JMK Award. She has been on attachment at the National Theatre and participated in the Director's Course at the NT Studio. Caroline was International Associate at the Royal Court Theatre under Dominic Cooke. Recent credits include: WE WANT YOU TO WATCH (National Theatre), THE BROKEN HEART (Globe Theatre), SHOW 6 (Lyric Theatre), AND I DON'T CARE HOW YOU ARE DOING ANYMORE (Molody Theatre, Kiev, Ukraine), TALK SHOW by Alistair McDowell and MINT by Claire Lizzimore (Royal Court Theatre), A TIME TO REAP (Royal Court Upstairs) and EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON by Mike Bartlett (Headlong Theatre Co/National Theatre UK Tour).

Jonjo O’Neill has worked regularly at The Royal Court and the RSC, recent credits include THE GET OUT, TALKSHOW, COLLABORATIONS and THE PRESIDENT HAS COME TO SEE YOU all for The Royal Court, THE EFFECT (National Theatre), Richard in RICHARD III for the RSC, AHASVERUS (RSC), SILENCE (RSC/Filter) and ROMEO AND JULIET (RSC). Television credits include CONSTANTINE (NBC), THE FALL (SERIES 2, BBC) and FORTITUDE (Sky Atlantic).

 

The cast for THE CRUCIBLE is completed by Sarah Amankwah, Paul Brightwell, Christopher Chilton, David Collings, Grace Cordell, Sam Cox, Alastair Gillies, Peter Guinness returns to the Exchange following his role in THE PIANIST, Leah Haile, Stephen Kennedy, Pepter Lunkuse, Mary Jo Randle, Roy Sampson, Tim Steed, Marjorie Yates and Ria Zmitrowicz

 

 THE CRUCIBLE - Listings Information

A Royal Exchange Theatre production

THE CRUCIBLE

By Arthur Miller

Directed by Caroline Steinbeis

Designed by Max Jones

Royal Exchange Theatre from 18 September – 24 October

 

Evening Performances
Tue - Sat 7pm

Matinees

Thu & Sat 2pm

Extra MatineesTue 29 Sep & Tue 13 Oct 2pm
New Sunday Performances4, 11 & 18 Oct 2pm

Extra Performances

Mon 21 Sep 7pm, Wed 14 Oct 5pm