In the modern day, misinformation spreads like wildfire and only the ashes of hysteria remain. In such a divided and sensitive modern context, the Drama Society of the Colombo International School presents an adaptation of one of the Great Plays of the contemporary English Canon - Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Set in the Puritan settler colonies of Massachusetts in 1692, The Crucible is a dramatization of the events known as the Salem Witch Trials.

Originally written as a criticism of McCarthyism and the ‘Red Scare’ of the 20th Century, Arthur Miller sought to create a political allegory which represented the metaphorical ‘witch hunts’ that America saw. In today’s context, the play can be thought of as an allegory for online culture or the mass panic that broke out 3 years ago at the start of the Covid pandemic. The political message of a play set in 1692, therefore, remains ever so relevant in 2023.

Kavin Mathew plays John Proctor - a man grappling with his own moral shortcomings and belief in God during a time of strictly rigid religious moral lines. Disillusioned with the institutions of the Puritan Church, he comes into conflict with Reverend Samuel Parris, played by Ashwin Laksumanage. A greedy, callous, paranoid man, Parris deeply fears any threat that could come to his station and uses his position of authority to manipulate Salem Village to his own benefit.

At the same time, there are ulterior motives at play within Salem. Thomas Putnam, a rich landholder (Limath Ellawala), seeks to enrich himself through the theft of his neighbours’ land. Striking an allegiance with Mr Parris, they start to encroach upon the land of Proctor, Giles Corey (Akein Bandara) and Francis Nurse (Gagana Abeyrathne). These political motives come to a head when the rumour of witchcraft begins to spread through the town. Reverend Parris’s niece Abigail Williams (Atara Isaac), is caught engaging in a satanic ritual with other young girls from the village.