“The play has lost none of its startling timeliness and intense drama to date”, noted director Franz Josef Eggstein. The play can be found in the performance programs of many professional theaters such as the Hamburg Thalia or the Mecklenburg State Theater in Schwerin, to name a few. Students from varying faculties and study programs will put on the performance at the University of Bremen. There are 17 actresses and actors involved. Theater InCognito has been operating under the name “Uni mit TIC” since 2018. The theater project is part of the Institute for Historic Journalism, Communication and Media Studies at the University of Bremen.
The Storyline of the Play
Salem, 1692: A small town in the Massachusetts colony is ruled by the constant fear of sin and hellfire. After a group of girls is caught out during a strange ritual in the woods, it does not take long for the accusatory, pointing fingers to be raised in the strict, puritan community. Hardly anyone is not under suspicion of being in a pact with the devil. Hardly anyone would not use the tense atmosphere to settle old scores. The voices of reason are silenced. The first executions are around the corner and the situation is threatening to spiral completely out of control.
Envy and Paranoia
Salem falls prey to the madness of envy, paranoia and hypocritical, religious fanatical behavior. The topic, which forms the basis of The Crucible, is not tied to a particular location or time. Regardless of where and when the lust for power and hysteria take innocent victims, that is where The Crucible comes into play. Originally penned as a reaction to and analogy of the McCarthy processes at that time in the USA, the play has not lost any of its timeliness.
The Others Are at Fault
Miller himself ended up in front of one of the infamous tribunals only three years after the premiere and had to spend time in prison. This was due to the circumstance that he refused to denounce acquaintances and friends. The fear of the invisible power of communism led to a madness not dissimilar to the fear of hell and the hidden activities of the devil on earth only a few centuries earlier. Despite big advancements, society is still quick to blame others for all its problems. The meanings of friend and foe may change with time, but what The Crucible stands for will always remain the same.
Further information:
https://theaterincognito.de/arthur-millers-hexenjagd/ (in German only)
Dates: Premiere on Friday, June 28, 2019, 8 p.m.
Further dates: Saturday, June 29 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 2 at 8 p.m., Wednesday, July 3 at 8 p.m., Friday, July 5 at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, July 10 at 7 p.m.
Location: Theater at the University of Bremen
Tickets costs 8 euros, concessional tickets costs 6 euros.
Contact:
Franz Josef Eggstein
University of Bremen
Phone: + 49 160 98 315 624
Email: f.eggstein1@web.de
