The Crucible - Encountering Conflict
American Classic
VCE English: Units 3 and 4
Area of study: Creating and presenting
Selected context: Encountering conflict
Selected texts: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Five actors perform key scenes from The Crucible in a format that directly explores conflict within the play. To help identify and directly referrence themes and arguments that directly support the encountering conflict context four major perspectives are addressed -
• CAUSES
• RESPONSES
• CONSEQUENCES
• RESOLUTIONS
The Crucible - Synopsis
Set in the claustrophobic and dangerous times of the Salem witch hunts in 1692, The Crucible recreates the terrifying reality of a village in New England caught up in naming and blaming each other for acts of witchcraft and trafficking with the devil. Abigail and a group of other young girls seem possessed and in an attempt to escape retribution themselves, point the finger literally and figuratively at others. Of particular fascination is the flawed but ultimately heroic response by the protagonist, John Proctor, a man who has committed adultery but wants to save his marriage. He is identified as the chief perpetrator of witchcraft. His battle with Puritan authorities, jealous neighbours and those bent on personal revenge, suggest that love, integrity and dignity prevail. The Crucible becomes a metaphor for what happened in 1950’s Cold-War America where a number of people became entangled in the paranoid world of ‘reds under the bed’ and the ‘outing’ of ‘communists’. While the power of the play ensures its historical appeal, it remains disturbingly relevant for the early twenty-first century. (VCE English/ESL Text list 2010, Supplement 3)
Show duration - 90 min
Tour dates
Term 3: Monday 16 July - Friday 31 August
Requirements
Minimum performance space required: 6m x 6m
Set up time: 45 mins
Duration: 90 mins
Bump out time: 20 mins
Other: Access to power
Cost:
- Groups over 120 student: $14.00 per student.
Groups under 120 students: $1680.00 minimum performance fee.
All prices include gst.
Cancellation fee applies.
