Written by orange• September 7, 2026• 6:43 pm• Brea, Curtis Theatre, Review, The Larking House Theatre Company, Theater, Uncategorized

The Larking House & Curtis Theatre present : The Crucible @ Curtis Theatre – Review

Photo credit: Austin Bauman

Written by Diana M. Robles

With Pumpkin spice returning to coffee houses across the country and the weather finally cooling down here in Orange County, it seems only fitting for The Crucible to be having its run at the Curtis Theatre, performed by The Larking House Theatre Company.

Story:

You may recall the story of this 1950s play by Arthur Miller from your high school assigned reading. Still, in case you missed it, this story takes place during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, with a subplot of a domestic drama between John (Jaime Tintor) and Elizabeth Proctor (Jessica Schreiber), and John’s mistress, Abigail Williams (Ava Loren Lopez). Rumors accusing women of practicing witchcraft run rampant, and the community turns on each other. This play stands the test of time because its core message is simple: distrust of one’s neighbor can become a plague on society. This is true for the time when this play was set and when it was published, and it remains true today.

The Crucible is an incredibly serious, dramatic, and dark play, yet this rendition, directed by Lizzy McCabe, leans into the light when it can. Lighthearted pokes at misogyny and other funny moments give the audience in this version brief breaks from the play’s otherwise serious tone.

Acting/Costume/Set:

The production had very strong performances. The actors conveyed the growing paranoia and alarmism in a gradual yet effective manner. When it all comes to a head, the story feels well-built because of the evolution of the cast’s performances throughout the night.

John Proctor’s distress was on full display, and Abigail’s manipulation was truly chilling and emotionally provoking.

The costumes were period-accurate and well crafted.

The set was exceptionally effective in conveying the characters’ emotions and the “witchcraft” of the play, which is really just the frenzy of emotions of the alarmed society. It was simple base – a large wooden platform that was transformed according to different scenes’ needs and hanging wood panels to mimic a roof – yet, combined with skillful lighting design by Tony Sanchez, it ultimately worked well for this production.

While the play is of good quality and features exceptional performances, it has its cons. Staying true to its original text in this instance comes with the play’s original issues – an exhausting runtime of over 2 and a half hours of pure and very audible drama.

Screaming, crying, and arguing are essential to the nature of this play, particularly the violent persecution of private citizens and hysteria. However, there is so much of it that it becomes draining. Viewers could leave the theater feeling fatigued, especially if watching after a full day of life. Given the play’s sheer length, I would consider it a weekend watch rather than a weeknight one.