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Key Reviews: ‘The Crucible’

The Key: Young Critics Mentorship Program brings students to various productions around Chicago, teaching them about arts criticism as they try their hand at writing reviews. The opinions of the students are their own; we workshop the pieces in seminar every other week, and then they edit their reviews before publication. This week we are sharing their first submissions on Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s The Crucible. Workshopped and Edited by co-facilitators Regina Victor and Oliver Sava.  Continue reading “Key Reviews: ‘The Crucible’”

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Steppenwolf’s ‘The Crucible’ Is a Classic That Still Has Something to Say

When does a truth become a lie? 

That is the question posed by Steppenwolf for Young Adults’ 17/18 season, a question that we are invited to grapple with in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, directed by Jonathan Berry. Brimming with talent, Steppenwolf’s production offers a heart-pounding and potent take on a familiar piece of theatre, whose themes comment sharply on many aspects of our current political climate.

Continue reading “Steppenwolf’s ‘The Crucible’ Is a Classic That Still Has Something to Say”

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The Consequences of Fake Allyship in ‘A View From the Bridge’

Regina Victor

If you’ve studied the American Theater, chances are you’ve heard of Arthur Miller, the King of Kitchen Sink Realism. Trust me when I say, Ivo Van Hove’s A View From The Bridge is not your mother’s Arthur Miller. There isn’t a sink in sight. In fact all unnecessary props, down to certain actor’s shoes, have been eliminated. This actor-driven production features a square set with dark-colored benches and a white floor, designed by Jan Versweyveld. Audience sits on either side of the stage, meaning the actors are playing to a house that’s three-quarters in the round. It feels like a boxing ring with only one entrance and exit upstage, which adds to the feeling of being trapped in the space. Continue reading “The Consequences of Fake Allyship in ‘A View From the Bridge’”