Play Series Part Two: Year 12 - The Crucible

NZQA Standard 2.6 ‘Perform a substantial role in a scripted play’

Each year, our Senior College drama students perform their NCEA assessment pieces for an audience. Often edgy productions that push the boundaries for the students and audience alike, these ‘mini productions’ have become more sophisticated with each passing year. With minimal props and costuming, the focus is placed clearly on the actors and their stage craft; their ability to not only deliver their lines but to use complex dramatic skills to fully engage their audience.

Following on from last week’s Play Series Part One production by Year 11, this week it was the turn of Year 12. Performed over two nights, our NCEA Level 2 drama students were tasked with achieving NZQA Standard 2.6 ‘Perform a substantial role in a scripted play.’

Drama teachers, Mrs Jess Acheson and Mr Dave Sheehan directed the production, splitting the play into two acts, played by two different classes, each taking it in turns to play the key roles. For those privileged to attend, they witnessed true theatre in the making. As students poured heart and soul into their roles, it was hard to believe that these were ‘just’ assessment pieces rather than full-scale productions!

THE CRUCIBLE

By Arthur Miller

Directors: Jess Acheson, Dave Sheehan

Written in 1953, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible tells the story of a community of puritans in Salem, Massachusetts who were overwhelmed by a witch hunt that sadly caused 19 people to be executed by hanging. Miller is not just writing about Salem in 1692, this play is an allegory for the paranoia surrounding communism in 1950s American, which was driven by the narrow mindedness of McCarthyism, desperate to create an ‘us versus them’ mentality and to stamp out difference and diversity of opinion.

In this production, our classes considered the circle as a symbol of isolation and separation. Within the circle, the students explored the idea of those who have power, and those who spin and control the centre to ensure their own safety, whilst others are pushed to the outer edge.

Through the female characters in the play, the students worked on portraying the ideas of rumour and reputation, mass hysteria and vengeance. Marginalised to the fringes, and powerless to the injustice of the situation, they made observations about characters such as John Proctor and Mary Warren who desperately fight the system.

Proctor attempts to break the circle with a confession of his own. The confession of an affair, but his confession is trumped by the accusation of him as a witch. Proctor’s courageous decision at the end, to die rather than confess to a sin that he did not do, finally breaks the circle of power that the court and the church held over the people.

This was a truly powerful piece of theatre, seamlessly performed by our two Year 12 classes as one class took on Act 1 and the second class picked up the baton for Act 2. Well done to our Year 12 drama students for a fabulous evening of entertainment.

PLAY SERIES PART THREE: YEAR 13

Decade by Headlong Theatre and various playwrights.

Dance Studios 7pm, 5-6 July