The Crucible

Story

The ‘children’ of Salem, all young girls, accuse a number of the townspeople of witchcraft. A leading judge arrives to investigate and many upstanding members of the community are tried, imprisoned and executed.

Miller set the play in Salem in 1692 at a time when hysteria and paranoia about witches led to the accusation and conviction of innocent people. He wrote it during the McCarthy era in Hollywood in the 1950s when communists were blacklisted and hounded. The play tells the story of the Salem witch trials drawing parallels with the Communist witch hunts in 1950s America.

Why we chose it

The Crucible has been a very popular play throughout the 20th century for the parallels it draws between the Salem witch trials and the present day. Created in the wake of McCarthyism and its attempted censorship of the arts, it still resonates today with the advent of social media echo chambers and untrustworthy internet news. It deals with the danger of false accusations and public pressure in influencing legal decisions with potentially life-threatening consequences.

Where it came from

Arthur Miller had come across the Salem witch trials as a student. With the McCarthy investigations and hearings into supposed communists in government and other positions of influence, including the film industry, Miller saw parallels with the events and Salem and the time seemed right to explore the story further. He visited Salem and explored the transcripts of the trials, finding individual stories to develop and dramatise.

Where it went next

The Crucible has played all over the world and is still regularly performed by amateur and professional companies.

There have been two film adaptations – one in 1957 and one in 1996.

The 2014 Old Vic production with Richard Armitage as John Procter had a successful run and was also filmed and distributed to cinemas.

There have been a number of television productions, most notably in 1959 with Sean Connery as John Procter, and in 1981 the first full television production, uncut and following most of Miller's extensive stage directions.

Associated stories

Arthur Miller’s other plays include, Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, and A View From the Bridge.