The Crucible by Arthur Miller 2019

This week saw the largest audiences ever at BISB for the Secondary School Production. 200 members of our community crowded the school’s theatre to watch our production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Tickets were hard to come by for both performances, with rumours that some members of the English department were running a side business as ticket touts!

Ms Glass, from the Art department, described that show as, “gripping”, whilst Ms Woolner, from Year 1, said “performances were oozing with talent". Ms Mawdsley from Year 2 thought it was “brilliant”. Students were no less impressed. Year 8 student Tuuli Knuuttila thought the actors were “realistic because they were always acting even when they weren’t talking.” Student leader Samzok Wangdi from Year 13 commented that “the acting was so professional”, whilst fellow Year 13 student Sebastian Ramirez thought the play was “fantastic and well-produced.”

Originally the play was intended to cast light on the dangers posed to individual freedoms by irrational and paranoid societies. John Proctor (played by Manuel Elikishvili) struggles to establish his principles in a repressive and intrusive religious community. Likewise, Abigail Williams (Anna Dudas-Hjelms) is simply a girl who wants to express her individuality but is constantly reminded of her lowly position. BISB audiences were mesmerised by the tribulations of these and other characters as the play unfolded. The convincing performances of “the girls” (Lili Krasznai, Chi Zhang, Sára Romai, Valentina Pinto) brought the spectators to the edge of their seats, whilst the power of our judges (Mikhail Abramovich, Jay Koulaouzos, Szonja Török) made the courtroom complete. Members of Salem’s community (Liu Jingyuan, Maria Fokshek, Olivia O’Dowd and Alyssa Ling) provided a rich backdrop to the scene and Elizabeth Proctor’s (Shreya Seshan) final words of the play left audience moved with pity. 

Ghazal Manieh and Qi Yi Rao provided reliable stage-hand assistance during the show, whilst the Tanzania 2020 crew were ushers and Year 12 students set up refreshments at the interval in aid of the Csodalámpa charity. Special mention must go to Gábor Pereszlényi and his team who helped set up the stage and auditorium; Miki Mátrai for creating a haunting and slightly surreal atmosphere through sound and light. Many thanks to every member of our community who helped out and came to see the show. 

Douglas Allan
English and EAL (English as an Additional Language) Teacher