Culture Editor Thomas Deakin praises the King’s Alumni Theatre Society’s (KATS) production of ‘The Crucible’ for its interpretation of Miller’s masterpiece as a critique of the weaponisation of religion.
There is a distinct and practically immutable ability of the best theatrical works to simultaneously embrace a specific period of history and feel timeless due to the universality of their themes. One play emblematic of this duality is Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’. Premiering in 1953, the play utilised the setting of the 1693 Salem Witch Trials as an allegory for the persecution of communists under McCarthyism’s Red Scare in the early 1950s.
Attending the KATS production of ‘The Crucible’ on 9 September 2026 in KCL’s Greenwood Theatre, I was struck by its timeless commentary on Miller’s themes of misuse of religious power, scapegoating, and ostracisation. Privileging minimalism and historical accuracy, the production emphasised how the damage of McCarthyism is reminiscent of the state of far-right politics today.
The History and Relaunch of KATS
The King’s Alumni Theatre Society (KATS) was formed in 2003 to give alumni of notable KCL theatre groups such as The King’s Players the opportunity to continue performing together after graduating from their studies. The original society proved to be highly successful, performing numerous plays from around the world in various languages and spanning 300 years of history.
However, the society unfortunately became inactive, until it was relaunched in January 2025 by Jasmine Newton-Rae as its President (KCL MA Classical Art and Archaeology 2023), who reopened the society as a fun, inclusive and welcoming community for both KCL alumni and current students. After staging ten successful productions in just over a year, the society obtained a licence to stage ‘The Crucible’ from 9 to 11 September 2026, directed by the society’s Social Media Officer, BA Film Studies graduate David Sheldon.
Interview with David Sheldon
Roar was lucky to have the opportunity to talk to Sheldon on 6 September 2026 before the production, between the final dress rehearsals for the play. Speaking on the significance of ‘The Crucible’, Sheldon said that he had decided to direct the play because of the unfortunate ‘timelessness’ of its themes:
“I adore ‘The Crucible’ as a play. Its themes are unfortunately timeless. You look at the modern political spectrum and modern society together. Scares and moral panics have evolved so much over the decades.”
Sheldon also emphasised how the play’s critique of McCarthyism can similarly be applied today as a parable of the danger of how far-right political zealots misappropriate religion for their personal gain. Our conversation about ‘The Crucible’ illuminated how this politicisation of religion continues to be employed by the Trump administration and the far-right rhetoric of Restore Britain and Reform UK.
Yet, Sheldon also affirmed that the nuance of ‘The Crucible’ is that it is not simply an anti-religious play. Instead, Sheldon noted:
“The Crucible is not a criticism of religion: it’s a criticism of those who seek to use religion to oppress people and make their lives worse.”
Relating this nuance to the play’s staging, Sheldon said that his direction of the play purposely utilised costuming to delineate the rigid hierarchy of this puritanical society. This was shown by the deliberate dressing of all male characters in different clothing, whereas the women of the play all dressed the same. Sheldon reaffirmed this historical accuracy to the 1693 Salem Witch Trials by making three gallows the sole constant in his staging, a sparse choice that allowed the audience to tap into the coldly tragic world of the play, a place without agency and reprieve.
KATS’ ‘The Crucible’: A Masterfully Brechtian Interpretation
Whilst attending the first performance, I was astonished by how Sheldon transformed the Greenwood Theatre into a darkened space, hanging underneath the spectre of death. Before the play had even begun, a smoke machine enveloped the stage in chiaroscuro, preparing me perfectly for the moral battleground at the heart of ‘The Crucible’s’ tragic tone.
What unfolded for the rest of the play was an encapsulation of why ‘The Crucible’ and its critique of religious dogma remain so relevant today. By catapulting the audience into a world so dark that only its actors are clear, Sheldon’s interpretation of Miller’s play resembled Bertolt Brecht’s idea of the Verfremdungseffekt. The metatheatrical sparsity of the staging enabled this by allowing the audience to critically engage with the complexity of its themes.
The Skill of the KATS Performances
This Brechtian complexity was particularly brought to life by the wonderful performances of the talented KATS cast and the efforts of its crew. Sheldon had advised his actors to research their characters in order to portray them authentically as entities both within the play itself and informed by the realities that necessitated the play’s creation.
Amidst a range of many brilliantly layered performances, the highlight was Yan Belhomme’s performance as John Proctor. In a minimalist play defined by its characters’ moral struggles, Belhomme perfectly embodied this by expressing a range of emotions as Proctor, oscillating between acts of dynamic passion and moments of near-silent reflection. This was especially clear as his character lurched towards his tragic demise, showing fear yet dignity as his refusal to sign a confession led to his execution, cementing Proctor as ‘The Crucible’s’ tragic hero.
Overall, ‘The Crucible’ at its core is a play that has stood the test of time because its isolating atmosphere and conflicted performances are perfectly attuned to exploring the danger of religious dogma as a means to destroy society, instead of improving it. Thus, by visualising this ambiance, Sheldon and KATS have successfully crafted a realist play that avoids didacticism by showing the truth instead of merely telling us. As Reverend John Hale says in the play, “Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small.”
About the author
