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BeitragVerfasst: 03.12.2014, 13:57 
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Es gibt eine erste Review vom Prescreening gestern:

Zitat:
PREVIEW: The Crucible In Cinemas

Posted by: The Public Reviews in Featured, Preview 1 hour ago 0

Writer: Arthur Miller

Stage Director: Yaël Farber

Film Director: Robert Delamere

Reviewer: Carrie Armstrong

When Arthur Miller penned The Crucible as an allegory of McCarthyism and House of Representatives on Un-American Activities, he could hardly have envisaged what his audience would experience over 60 years later. When the very latest in sound and visual film technology would collide with one of England’s oldest and most traditional of theatre experiences. In a riot of Dolby surround sound, high definition camera work and the very brightest of UK theatrical talent, the Old Vic’s performance of The Crucible is captured on screen by Robert Delamere’s film company, Digital Theatre.

It shouldn’t work. But it does.

Director Yaël Farber sets the tale of Puritanical witch hunting in traditional Salem, yet with a twist that features a cast with exclusively Lancastrian accents (save the stranger in town Rev. Parris who hails from Wales).

It is a weird experience watching a piece of theatre on screen, no matter how well done (and the quality of this screening is stellar.) It is so well done that you forget at times it is not being filmed in-real-time, as it were. It’s a three and a half hour show which is divided with a traditional theatre interval of ten minutes. Again it works. Again, it shouldn’t.

The casting is flawless. There is not one cast member who appears out of their depth. Not one line is wasted, not one look; which is impressive, given that the majority are seasoned television actors. Yet not one of them feels the need to make it a performance aimed for screen. They stay true to their theatrical direction and play the piece as Faber intended, entirely for the audience at the Old Vic, leaving Delamare the task of making it work for screen. A challenge he lives up to entirely

How do you film a production of the Crucible at the Old Vic theatre in-the-round? That task alone would have sent most film directors screaming for the door, but Delamere responds with a creation that is incredible in its subtlety, mirroring the sparsity of the set, the subtlety of the sound, the bleakness of the subject matter reflected in the lighting. He does nothing but enhance the original performance, magnifying it in a way that delivers the perfect theatrical film experience.

Farber and Delamere never intended to simply replicate the original performance for a film audience, instead they have created an entirely new viewing experience – a marriage of the very best of screen technology and traditional theatre. The makeup, when it exists at all, is entirely theatrical. The costumes designed for stage. All wide shots on camera include audience members. Nothing is removed from the theatre of the piece. Instead the on-screen aspect gives extra depth and layers to an already incredibly detailed piece of collaborative acting

And so to Richard Armitage; who is, quite frankly, astounding. It would be very easy for a man of his looks and stature to simply smoulder his way through a performance of this nature whilst playing John Proctor. But he doesn’t. Instead he shows weakness, makes himself smaller than he is – deliberately less charismatic, far less polished and way more vulnerable.

The strong portrayal of the young girls of Salem injects a very watchable aspect of physical theatre into the performance, which translates well on film. Samantha Colley’s interpretation of Abigial Williams being particularly memorable.

Faber and Delamere have created something beautiful. Something entirely different and totally in keeping with the zeitgeist. A moulding of two very different mediums that only add to the viewer’s experience, bringing it to a much wider audience than could ever have been anticipated before. Because that’s the real power of an alliance like this. That it has been captured for posterity now, encapsulated permanently on film so that it’s ensured this stunning partnership of stage and screen will never go waste.

http://www.thepublicreviews.com/preview ... n-cinemas/

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 Betreff des Beitrags: Re: The Crucible bei Digital Theatre
BeitragVerfasst: 03.12.2014, 14:24 
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Danke, Redluna! Und gleich die zweite hinterher - 4 Sterne!

http://www.westendframe.com/2014/12/rev ... .html#more

Zitat:
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Review: The Crucible on Screen


The Crucible on Screen
Filmed at the Old Vic
★★★★

“A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours…”

Written sixty years ago about events that took place more than 300 years ago, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is still just as shocking and relevant.

Yaël Farber’s production, which was staged at The Old Vic earlier this year, is one of the darkest versions of the play I have ever seen – both literally and metaphorically. Performed in the round, certain parts of the tale were more emphatic, depending on where you were sitting.


Digital Theatre have now captured all the drama, taking the play to a whole new level. It is remarkable that audiences around the world can immerse themselves in this story of witchcraft, lust and superstition.

The opening scene of The Crucible immediately builds the tension, as the cinematography combines various views of the stage and the actors to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. This is of course enhanced by the fact that there is no dialogue at all for several minutes. All the audience can do is watch and wait as the eerie music and slow motion footage create a sense of foreboding.

Richard Armitage as John Proctor really commands the stage, and his presence becomes more intense and powerful now that we see it close up; Adrian Schiller (Reverend John Hale) and William Gaunt (Giles Corey) also come across particularly well on screen. Each character’s emotion is there for us to see, and most of the cast rise to the challenge (although there are a few unrealistic tears).

For anyone who does not know the story it is still perhaps a little tricky to work out who is who, especially as the costumes are all very similar. However, the final act becomes more realistic as we see the gaunt, bruised and dirty faces of the cast much more closely and the effect of the make-up remains shocking.

As everyone knows, The Crucible is a long, not to mention emotionally draining (especially for the cast) play, but if Digital Theatre's version is released for home audiences it can be watched at a more leisurely pace, without losing any of the intense drama that Miller intended. You now have a second chance to catch this remarkable production.

Reviewed by Michaela Clement-Hayes

The Crucible is screened in UK and Irish cinemas on 4th and 7th December 2014.
Please visit http://www.thecrucibleonscreen.com for further info.

Photo Credit: Johan Persson

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Schöne Reviews- danke euch für's Posten :kuss: !

Arianna, ich seh aber bei dem Westendframe review "nur" 4 Sterne, oder?


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BeitragVerfasst: 03.12.2014, 15:30 
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Gut aufgepasst, Nimue! :blum: Ich bin hier für :oops: zuständig, zwischen Tür und Angel...

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:kuss: :lol: Ich bin mir sicher, den fünften Stern haben die Redakteure vergessen- das Review klingt doch eindeutig nach fünf!!!

Ich bin echt schon total gespannt, wie die filmische Umsetzung gelungen ist und was nun anders als vor Ort wirkt.


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BeitragVerfasst: 03.12.2014, 17:38 
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Das ist ja ein guter Review-Start. :daumen: Auch wenn beim Verfilmen Profis am Werk waren, ist es eben doch der Übergang zu einem anderen Medium, für das die Inszenierung ursprünglich nicht gedacht war. Insofern müssen sich die Präsenz der Darstellerinnen und Darsteller, die allgemeine Atmosphäre u.ä. nicht unbedingt genauso übertragen wir im OV. Ich bin sehr gespannt auf den Film - jetzt noch mehr.

Danke für die Reviews, Arianna und Redluna.

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:evilgrin: Übrigens hatte es auf Twitter auch jemand mit 4 oder 5 Sternen:

https://twitter.com/twerkingthorin/stat ... 7853285376

Zitat:
Oh, so The Crucible was 4 stars rated?
@RCArmitage is the fifth.

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Das liest sich einfach nur schön! :sigh:

Ich kann es auch kaum erwarten es im Kino zu sehen. Wird bestimmt einzigartig! :heartthrow:

Danke für's Posten der Reviews, Redluna und Arianna! :blum:

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:daumen: :thankyou:

Information overflow ...

Noch'n Review:

http://www.ayoungertheatre.com/review-t ... ationwide/

Zitat:
Review: The Crucible, Screening Nationwide
By Laura Stevens on December 4, 2014 in Reviews
Richard Armitage and Anna Madeley in The Old Vic's The Crucible (c)Johan Persson (9)
One of the beauties of theatre is its fleeting nature. Its sense of the ephemeral heightens the sense of wonder that a performance can portray, but can also be a huge sense of frustration. What happens if you miss a show from lack of funds, inaccessibility or a busy schedule? For one acclaimed piece, at least, this no longer is the case. The Old Vic’s The Crucible, directed by Yaël Farber, is being screened across the United Kingdom and Ireland tonight and Sunday 7 December only.

A production that was lauded by the critics this summer, starring Richard Armitage as John Proctor, The Crucible has retained its intensity in its transferral to screen. Digital Theatre captured the performance from all angles during its 2014 season at the Old Vic and the result is not an attempt to be an exact replica of viewing it live, but instead becomes a powerful hybrid of film and theatre.

With the performers’ physicality very much foregrounded, with spittle flying and sweat dripping, the screening maintains its theatrical roots. However, it takes on advantages from this different medium, with none of the action being missed due to six cameras capturing the movement in the round. The cutting particularly highlights the ensemble’s feverish and manic movements, amplifying the sense of paranoia and fear. Being a lengthy screening of three and half hours (with a ten minute interval), audiences should be prepared for the aggression and anger in the actors to become at times overwhelming. While there are moments of comic relief to reduce the tension, the action is unrelenting on screen.

Farber, speaking at the film’s première, spoke about this kind of art as “an accomplice and ally to theatre, rather than a replacement”. Embracing digital technologies and allowing such a high quality of theatre to be seen nationwide is a great development going forward, and while Farber’s warning should be heeded, it is hard to dispute the benefits of making this play more widely seen.

Even if you saw this production of Arthur Miller’s timeless classic in London, viewing it tonight or Sunday would provide you with a different experience. The claustrophobia of the tight knit community of Salem – with its horrifying consequences – is not diminished through filming, but often escalated through this unrelenting screening.

The Crucible comes to cinemas nationwide on 4 and 7 December. Find a screening near you at The Crucible On Screen website.

Image by Johan Persson
:

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Danke Arianna. :kuss:

Eine großartige Kritik - Click Rating: ***** Unforgettable - von ClickLiverpool. Yael Farber und Robert Delmare tweeteten bereits den Link:

Zitat:

Review: The Old Vic's The Crucible, screened at Picturehouse@FACT in Liverpool

by Chris High. Published Sat 06 Dec 2014 11:46
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Blessed. That is the only word for the privilege of being able to watch – even remotely – The Old Vic’s recent production of Arthur Miller’s classic, 1950s anti-McCarthyism metaphor, The Crucible, at Liverpool’s Picturehouse@FACT on Wood Street. Starring Richard Armitage, Samantha Colley, Jack Ellis, Anna Madeley, Adrian Schiller and Sarah Niles, who appeared in Esther Wilson’s glorious The Quiet Little Englishman in Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year of 2008, this is real theatre made accessible to those unable to trek to the capitol to witness such treats in person.

To say that Director Yael Farber has taken the play’s original power by the throat and cranked it up by a factor of ten is something of an understatement. Barely a word or, indeed, a glance remains unburdened with gusto and vigour, particularly amongst the women who cry at will with the emotional overloads they have had thrust upon them. Samantha Colley as the duplicitous Abigail and Anna Madeley as the cheated, forlorn and psychologically lost Elizabeth are especially evocative in this regard, although in the role of the naive Mary Warren, Natalie Gavin’s performance is electrifying.



The intimacy of The Old Vic intensifies the atmosphere – if indeed this were possible – so that the energy that rolls out from the cast is tangible, with more spittle and sweat on display than that which is visible at the end of the London marathon. Indeed, at 3 hours 30 minutes in length, The Crucible may well be expected to be a bit of a slog. However, such is the captivating capability of the cast, time becomes irrelevant as the audience becomes immersed in that which is taking place before them, both in the cinema and in the actual auditorium.


Jack Ellis – possibly most recognisable as the corrupt Prison Guard in ITVs Bad Girls – is astonishing as the near-despotic Deputy Governor Danforth who heads the Salem Witch Trials with such vigour it is impossible not to believe his righteous indignation that his word might be questioned. Superb too are Michael Thomas as Parris, the priest whose own faith is tested and hardened in a fire of self-doubt, and Adrian Schiller as the reluctant Reverend John Hale who instigates the trials, yet by their end is riddled with guilt and remorse.


However, with all this said, it is the performance of Richard Armitage which truly shines, as his John Proctor is so multi-faceted – so commanding, so energised, so immersed in empathetic vitriol, heat and passion – it is impossible to take ones eyes from the screen.


Picturehouse@FACT offers a remarkable cinematic experience on every visit, yet in screening such events as this – for that is what this production of The Crucible is – it is an institution that deserves to be lauded from the roof tops.

The Crucible
Picturehouse at FACT, Liverpool
December 4 / December 6
Author: Arthur Miller
Director: Yael Farber
Producer: Old Vic Productions
Cast includes: Richard Armitage, Anna Madeley, Samantha Colley, Adrian Schiller, Natalie Gavin, Michael Thomas, Jack Ellis, William Gaunt, Sarah Niles
Running time: 3hrs 30mins
Click Rating: ***** Unforgettable.


http://www.clickliverpool.com/culture/reviews/1221828-review-the-crucible-shown-at-picyurehouse@fact,-liverpool.html

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Ach, wie schön! :heartthrow:

Danke für's Posten des YT-Clips, Arianna und danke Laudine für diese schöne Kritik. :kuss: :kuss: Wundervoll! :heartthrow:

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Eine wundervolle Review...

http://www.filmandtvnow.com/crucible-sc ... ompelling/

Zitat:
The Crucible On Screen Review: Epic, Emotional and Utterly Compelling
Posted by Lisa-Marie Burrows

An unforgettable production that stirs to the very core.

* * * * *

Play: The Crucible
Author: Arthur Miller
Venue: The Old Vic, London
Stage Director: Yaël Farber
Film Director: Robert Delamere
Cast: Richard Armitage, Anna Madeley, Samantha Colley, Adrian Schiller, Natalie Gavin, Michael Thomas, Jack Ellis, William Gaunt, Sarah Niles
Running time: 3hrs 30mins

The Crucible: Shocking, relevant and astounding – an emotional sight to behold on both the stage and in cinemas.  Arthur Miller wrote the play over 60 years ago and he probably may have never thought that his allegory of McCarthyism would draw in huge audiences not only in the best theatres around the world, but also on the big screen across the globe in full, dramatic sound and visual glory.

The Old Vic’s performance of The Crucible was exquisitely captured for the big screen thanks to Robert Delamere‘s film company, Digital Theatre – and what a fantastic job they have done to bring one of the most intriguing, powerful plays performed in British theatre into a cinematic experience for the whole world to enjoy. The Crucible on screen created the perfect amalgamation of filming technology and traditional theatre and I feel very privileged to have seen it both on stage and on screen.

This stirring and unsettling production of one of Arthur Miller’s most prominent plays is directed by acclaimed playwright and director Yaël Farber, who over the years has won numerous national and international awards for her work and it’s not hard to see why. The production was staged earlier this year at The Old Vic in London, which performed to sold out audiences over a 12 week run, garnering the attention of critics around the world and it deservingly racked up 5 star reviews.

The Crucible was staged in-the-round and one may make think it could make it all the more difficult to capture the emotions, gestures and key moments of the play, but this was not the case in this production. Delamere leaves no stone unturned and every shot is a golden moment, even down to the wide camera angles where we see the expanded, fraught eyes of the audience who are being pulled deeply into this dark play, literally and metaphorically.

The extraordinary production created under the watchful eye and guidance of Farber beautifully preserves the integrity of Miller’s language and provides gripping action and immersion in a foreboding story of witchcraft, lust and superstition set in a small Puritan community in Salem, Massachusetts, where people are living in a suffocating world of gossip, hearsay and personal grievances. In the midst of the infamous Salem witch trials, paranoia and superstition is at an all-time high, fuelling mass hysteria in the town as false accusations of witchcraft fly.

Panic and fear set the tone in the first-act in Reverend Parris’s bedroom, as members of the community accusingly eyeball each other and are quick to denounce their neighbours as witches in frenzied suspicion.  At the centre of the drama is John Proctor (Richard Armitage) who has had regrettable relations with ex-lover, 17-year-old Abigail (Samantha Colley). He now finds that his brief encounter with her has come back to haunt him and with devastating repercussions for himself, his wronged wife (Anna Madeley) and the rest of the community in Salem.

The portrayal of the young girls of Salem is enticing, hypnotic and at times almost unbearably haunting as their eyes roll, their heads sway backwards and forwards with dramatic rigour and their screams pierce the toughest of eardrums. Samantha Colley as the young Abigail Williams stands out amongst a solid, young cast and her cold and calculated persona is effortlessly displayed. 

Farber’s dramatic rendering of the Salem witch hunts are a stunning examination of repression, hysteria, betrayal and guilt all shown in a united, complicated coherence. The staging of the production is dark largely throughout, which is perfectly entwining with the mood and as only a few lights glimmer at any given moment the audience feel as though they are indeed sat around a bubbling cauldron waiting for the predictable horrors to come out of the smoke. The bleakness of the subject matter is most definitely reflected in the lighting, which has not been lost on camera. The poignant staging is aptly combined with the eerie and effective music of Richard Hammarton. It’s atmospheric in flavour, but does not deter the attention away from the story.

The Crucible rapidly whisks the audience through it’s 3 hours and 30 minutes on stage and even the on screen play includes a 15-minute interval – and the audience certainly need it. Act II ends on a dark and sombre note and things continue to spiral even more tragically out of control in Act III and it is something which viewers certainly need to prepare themselves for.

Digital Theatre beautifully captures the dramatic tension and depression in Act III as the powers that be wish to vilify John Proctor. Throughout the performance the acting is extraordinary, but it is in the final act that we witness the cast offer more than is humanly possible. 

Anna Madeley is excellent as Proctor’s betrayed accusatory wife, who through her experiences has become almost stone-like in emotion. Jack Ellis is equally enthralling as the ferocious, stubborn judge leading the corruption of the court, whilst Adrian Schiller’s cleric is the sane, voice of reason that is ignored within this ravaged community hellbent on persecution.

Then of course there is Richard Armitage who completely embodies his role as John Proctor both mentally, emotionally and physically, as we watch the once strong man physically shrink in front of our eyes into a blundering, broken individual. A transformation which is harrowing, unjust and calamitous. Looking completely spent, we watch as Armitage’s Proctor fights against the sense that he has been irrevocably tainted by his affair with Abigail and all the lies and deceit flying around Salem. His outcome is soaringly heroic and terribly tragic, as he needs to feel capable of honourable sacrifice instead of signing a false confession.

In one of the most heart-rending scenes, sniffles around the cinema could be heard (as they were at The Old Vic performance I attended), as Armitage delivers perhaps the most memorable words from the irredeemable Proctor,who refuses to give away his final piece of self-worth: his name. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”

There are not enough superlatives worthy enough to even begin to describe how Armitage delivers the performance of a lifetime and his final scene with Anna Madeley is as exquisite as it is tragic. In fact, each cast member delivered stunning performances and as a whole they certainly brought out the best in each other to produce stellar deliveries of the most highest standards.



The emotions and toil the cast put themselves through each day throughout the production is immense and certainly appreciated by the audience. Never I have attended a screening of a theatre performance in a cinema where the whole room was silently up on their feet quick to applaud what they have seen, accompanied by muffled sniffles and stilted whimpers, such is the effect this production has on the viewer – and thankfully not just me.

Farber’s thoughtful fingerprints were everywhere and essential for the success of the play. Now taken onto the big screen and with the possibility of downloading the performance in the future, the production is now ensured to be a beautiful, everlasting tribute to one of the great playwrights of our time through the emergence of theatre and film.

It is simply an unforgettable production which is stirring right through to the very core. It is utterly deserving of its six nominations in the impending WhatsOnStage Awards.  

The Crucible is an achievement that all involved should be proud of until the end of their days, as this production will certainly remain with me until the end of mine.

Verdict

* * * * *

The Old Vic’s The Crucible will be screened in select cinemas in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Finland, Malta, Australia and New Zealand in February 2015 with further locations yet to be added.

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Eine wundervolle Review...

http://www.filmandtvnow.com/crucible-sc ... ompelling/

Zitat:
The Crucible On Screen Review: Epic, Emotional and Utterly Compelling
Posted by Lisa-Marie Burrows

An unforgettable production that stirs to the very core.

* * * * *

Play: The Crucible
Author: Arthur Miller
Venue: The Old Vic, London
Stage Director: Yaël Farber
Film Director: Robert Delamere
Cast: Richard Armitage, Anna Madeley, Samantha Colley, Adrian Schiller, Natalie Gavin, Michael Thomas, Jack Ellis, William Gaunt, Sarah Niles
Running time: 3hrs 30mins

The Crucible: Shocking, relevant and astounding – an emotional sight to behold on both the stage and in cinemas.  Arthur Miller wrote the play over 60 years ago and he probably may have never thought that his allegory of McCarthyism would draw in huge audiences not only in the best theatres around the world, but also on the big screen across the globe in full, dramatic sound and visual glory.

The Old Vic’s performance of The Crucible was exquisitely captured for the big screen thanks to Robert Delamere‘s film company, Digital Theatre – and what a fantastic job they have done to bring one of the most intriguing, powerful plays performed in British theatre into a cinematic experience for the whole world to enjoy. The Crucible on screen created the perfect amalgamation of filming technology and traditional theatre and I feel very privileged to have seen it both on stage and on screen.

This stirring and unsettling production of one of Arthur Miller’s most prominent plays is directed by acclaimed playwright and director Yaël Farber, who over the years has won numerous national and international awards for her work and it’s not hard to see why. The production was staged earlier this year at The Old Vic in London, which performed to sold out audiences over a 12 week run, garnering the attention of critics around the world and it deservingly racked up 5 star reviews.

The Crucible was staged in-the-round and one may make think it could make it all the more difficult to capture the emotions, gestures and key moments of the play, but this was not the case in this production. Delamere leaves no stone unturned and every shot is a golden moment, even down to the wide camera angles where we see the expanded, fraught eyes of the audience who are being pulled deeply into this dark play, literally and metaphorically.

The extraordinary production created under the watchful eye and guidance of Farber beautifully preserves the integrity of Miller’s language and provides gripping action and immersion in a foreboding story of witchcraft, lust and superstition set in a small Puritan community in Salem, Massachusetts, where people are living in a suffocating world of gossip, hearsay and personal grievances. In the midst of the infamous Salem witch trials, paranoia and superstition is at an all-time high, fuelling mass hysteria in the town as false accusations of witchcraft fly.

Panic and fear set the tone in the first-act in Reverend Parris’s bedroom, as members of the community accusingly eyeball each other and are quick to denounce their neighbours as witches in frenzied suspicion.  At the centre of the drama is John Proctor (Richard Armitage) who has had regrettable relations with ex-lover, 17-year-old Abigail (Samantha Colley). He now finds that his brief encounter with her has come back to haunt him and with devastating repercussions for himself, his wronged wife (Anna Madeley) and the rest of the community in Salem.

The portrayal of the young girls of Salem is enticing, hypnotic and at times almost unbearably haunting as their eyes roll, their heads sway backwards and forwards with dramatic rigour and their screams pierce the toughest of eardrums. Samantha Colley as the young Abigail Williams stands out amongst a solid, young cast and her cold and calculated persona is effortlessly displayed. 

Farber’s dramatic rendering of the Salem witch hunts are a stunning examination of repression, hysteria, betrayal and guilt all shown in a united, complicated coherence. The staging of the production is dark largely throughout, which is perfectly entwining with the mood and as only a few lights glimmer at any given moment the audience feel as though they are indeed sat around a bubbling cauldron waiting for the predictable horrors to come out of the smoke. The bleakness of the subject matter is most definitely reflected in the lighting, which has not been lost on camera. The poignant staging is aptly combined with the eerie and effective music of Richard Hammarton. It’s atmospheric in flavour, but does not deter the attention away from the story.

The Crucible rapidly whisks the audience through it’s 3 hours and 30 minutes on stage and even the on screen play includes a 15-minute interval – and the audience certainly need it. Act II ends on a dark and sombre note and things continue to spiral even more tragically out of control in Act III and it is something which viewers certainly need to prepare themselves for.

Digital Theatre beautifully captures the dramatic tension and depression in Act III as the powers that be wish to vilify John Proctor. Throughout the performance the acting is extraordinary, but it is in the final act that we witness the cast offer more than is humanly possible. 

Anna Madeley is excellent as Proctor’s betrayed accusatory wife, who through her experiences has become almost stone-like in emotion. Jack Ellis is equally enthralling as the ferocious, stubborn judge leading the corruption of the court, whilst Adrian Schiller’s cleric is the sane, voice of reason that is ignored within this ravaged community hellbent on persecution.

Then of course there is Richard Armitage who completely embodies his role as John Proctor both mentally, emotionally and physically, as we watch the once strong man physically shrink in front of our eyes into a blundering, broken individual. A transformation which is harrowing, unjust and calamitous. Looking completely spent, we watch as Armitage’s Proctor fights against the sense that he has been irrevocably tainted by his affair with Abigail and all the lies and deceit flying around Salem. His outcome is soaringly heroic and terribly tragic, as he needs to feel capable of honourable sacrifice instead of signing a false confession.

In one of the most heart-rending scenes, sniffles around the cinema could be heard (as they were at The Old Vic performance I attended), as Armitage delivers perhaps the most memorable words from the irredeemable Proctor,who refuses to give away his final piece of self-worth: his name. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”

There are not enough superlatives worthy enough to even begin to describe how Armitage delivers the performance of a lifetime and his final scene with Anna Madeley is as exquisite as it is tragic. In fact, each cast member delivered stunning performances and as a whole they certainly brought out the best in each other to produce stellar deliveries of the most highest standards.



The emotions and toil the cast put themselves through each day throughout the production is immense and certainly appreciated by the audience. Never I have attended a screening of a theatre performance in a cinema where the whole room was silently up on their feet quick to applaud what they have seen, accompanied by muffled sniffles and stilted whimpers, such is the effect this production has on the viewer – and thankfully not just me.

Farber’s thoughtful fingerprints were everywhere and essential for the success of the play. Now taken onto the big screen and with the possibility of downloading the performance in the future, the production is now ensured to be a beautiful, everlasting tribute to one of the great playwrights of our time through the emergence of theatre and film.

It is simply an unforgettable production which is stirring right through to the very core. It is utterly deserving of its six nominations in the impending WhatsOnStage Awards.  

The Crucible is an achievement that all involved should be proud of until the end of their days, as this production will certainly remain with me until the end of mine.

Verdict

* * * * *

The Old Vic’s The Crucible will be screened in select cinemas in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Finland, Malta, Australia and New Zealand in February 2015 with further locations yet to be added.

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The Crucible review: flawless casting in a mature interpretation


February 11, 2015 - 9:18AM

Peter Craven


THEATRE
The Crucible ★★★★★
The Old Vic
Cinema Live and Digital Theatre
Selected Cinemas

The Crucible is one of the greatest plays of modern American theatre. And it has outlasted its original political occasion as a parable of the McCarthyist witch-hunt against Communists, of which its author, Arthur Miller, was a victim. The Crucible is an impassioned drama of liberty and courage in the context of witch trials in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts. It's superbly performed in this version, directed by Yaël Farber and broadcast from London's Old Vic, with Richard Armitage as John Proctor, the man who stands up against the encircling darkness.

Miller cast The Crucible in a highly coloured language, part biblical and part folk idiom, which allows him a spectrum of poetic richness and which also sounds like some form of original American English.

This production for Kevin Spacey's Old Vic is by the South African director Yaël Farber, whose Mies Julie was a widely hailed, post-apartheid reconfiguration of Strindberg's dire play of male and female struggle.
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Her production of The Crucible, with stark lighting and the girls who pretend to be witches in kerchief bonnets, quivers with the sexual electricity of repression. It's all dark costumes and dim or stark lights.

Samantha Colley as Abigail, the girl who's trouble, goes in one stroke from nun-like demureness to a devastating sexualised ruthlessness that's mighty to behold. It's a marvellous performance by a young actress.

Richard Armitage (late of The Hobbit and Spooks) was born to play John Proctor, with his craggy looks and capacity for repressed, then explosive, anger. It is a fine, masterful performance and Yaël Farber ensures that it is never merely idealised. This is a Proctor who reaches for a whip against subservient womenfolk, even if he never uses it.

Anna Madeley as his loved and wronged wife, Goody Proctor, is softer and finer than the traditional characterisation and she makes her into a very moving figure, stumbling her way into courage so the goodness never seems static.

But this is a heavyweight ensemble Crucible that captures with the power of a spell the sense of suffocating horror, the fog of confusion in a world where vengeance and fantasy unite in a whirlwind of wrath.

The performance is given in a provincial, often Northern, English with no tilt towards West Country proto-American and this diminishes the sense of costume drama familiarity.

In a cast without flaw, Ann Firbank is a dignified, kindly Rebecca Nurse, with no halo of sanctimony. Natalie Gavin as Mary Warren, the girl who changes sides, is magnificent in her distress as she strives to come good, and Adrian Schiller's Reverend Hale is all the stronger for its provincialism and lack of suavity.

Jack Ellis' posh Danforth is not a sage judge in a terrible situation but a man of saturnine polish and anger and cruelty.

This is an absolutely unsentimental Crucible, gruelling and terrifying, performed in a very full text and with a bleak pertinence to every war on terror (or its equivalent) even though it's never hammered.


http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/the-crucible-review-flawless-casting-in-a-mature-interpretation-20150210-13ak29.html

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