After five weeks in rehearsal,
The Crucible opened on stage at the Birmingham Rep Theatre. For the actors, the transition from the rehearsal room to the stage involves getting used to the theatre space. Sara Beharrel, one of the younger actors, says that she
learned a lot about stagecraft by watching the older actors, who were always aware of their positioning on stage and able to project their voices more naturally. Leah Muller, who plays Abigail, says that
what's most important to her when performing is being in the moment and bringing an element of surprise to the script.
This scene from Act 1 is crucial since it is the only scene in the play where the four girls are alone on stage. At this point, there are already rumours in the town about witchcraft and the girls’ nocturnal dancing in the woods. The four of them meet
in the bedroom of Betty Parris to get their stories straight, and the distinct personalities of each of the girls become apparent: Abigail is the leader, Mercy Lewis is tough and a close friend of Abigail’s, and Mary is a conscience-stricken weaker girl who reluctantly goes along with their leader. Michelle Tate, who plays Mercy, describes her character’s dislike for Mary and how
her objective in this scene is to make Mary leave so that she and Abigail can be alone.
Mary's goal is to find out from Abigail what the girls should say happened in the forest, actor Sara Beharrel tells us.