The Crucible by Arthur Miller is one of the most famous plays of the 20th century, and a powerful anecdote of how paranoia and false information can lead to society’s downfall. In this day and age, the plot resonates stronger than ever. Unfortunately, this West End version directed by Lyndsey Turner does not carry the same sense of danger. Designer Es Devlin’s spectacular rainfall installation, … Continue reading Quick Take! (The Crucible)
The Effect by Lucy Prebble is an intense 100 minutes examining the tricks the heart and mind can play on one another. Who are we with, without, or despite them? Clinical trial volunteers Connie (Taylor Russell) and Tristan (Paapa Essiedu) fight to make sense of their thoughts and feelings as doctors Lorna James (Michele Austin) and Toby Sealey (Kobna Holdbook-Smith) repress theirs. What makes this … Continue reading Quick Take! (The Effect)
The National Youth Music Theatre features the brightest and boldest of new talent in this intimate but charming production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. Credit goes to director Katherine Hare for understanding both the advantages and limits of working with a young cast that has barely lived half the lives of their characters. Instead, their qualities and personalities are teased out, and as … Continue reading Quick Take! (Merrily We Roll Along)
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