Richard Armitage as John Proctor in The Crucible at The Old Vic. Source: Johan Persson via RichardArmitageNet.
Wednesday saw me back at The Old Vic to see The Crucible for the second time, in front row seats no less! I can’t tell you how lucky I felt.
When we took our seats I was struck at how different it seemed from the second row where we sat last time. I could hardly contain my excitement.
There is little for me to add to what I wrote last time except to say that the front row affords you a perspective that you can’t ever hope to obtain from any other seat. It gives you a level of immersion in the play that allows you to truly forget it’s not real. There is a sense of intrusion when witnessing the Proctors at home, his love for her coupled with the frustration of her coldness towards him palpable in the smoky air. In the courtroom and in the gaol you feel complicit in the injustice being delivered, horrified at the ridiculousness of it all but at the same time powerless to stop it.
When it was all over and my heart was broken once again I cried. I cried for Proctor and I cried for his wife. I cried for the injustice of an innocent man being hanged for refusing to confess to a lie. I cried for the tears in Richard Armitage’s eyes and the way his bottom lip wobbled as he took his applause, and I cried for me … because I knew I would never get to see it again.
As the applause started I looked around me and was briefly tempted to wait for others to stand but decided that self-consciousness be damned, I would not be a sheep. I stood proudly from my front row seat and applauded a performance that will stay with me for years to come. I doubt I’ll witness anything that moves me in quite the same way ever again.
As the audience left the theatre I actually found it hard to stop crying. The temptation to just let it all out and sob loudly almost overcame me but I held it back. If I think about it now the tears still fill my eyes.
On the way home I got to thinking about certain things. If I was so affected, soppy mare that I am, how on earth does the cast cope with that kind of emotion night after night. I can’t see how one could ever become completely immune to it. Richard Armitage said recently that Proctor never really leaves him and that he was “living like a monk”. The emotion is quite clearly something that he is unable to switch off the minute the play ends so I wonder how long it takes him to collect himself. Obviously, he’s not still crying by the time he gets to the stage door but, still, it must be hard.
We were at a matinée performance so no stage door for us but the performance actually over ran by ten minutes due to a late start, possibly caused by a number of ticket mix-ups that seemed to take a while to resolve. That gave the cast just 80 minutes to collect their thoughts and drag themselves back to the mindsets they would need to start the play again. I think of all of them Richard Armitage has the hardest job.
Another thought I had was that at the beginning of the play John Proctor is a tall proud man who is a towering presence on the stage but as things progress he becomes visibly smaller. He shrinks before your eyes and almost appears to lose weight. With the audience so close that speaks volumes of Armitage’s ability to transform himself.
Other people have criticised the audience for laughing at certain lines but as far as I can see those lines are meant to be humourous. Furthermore, the humour is important as it helps to show the complete ridiculousness of the whole thing. Other criticisms have been made about the shouting. Some raise their voices to show their authority, but wouldn’t you raise your voice in frustration if it were you in Proctor’s place? He shouts because everyone else is seemingly deaf to the truth. As to any criticisms of the length, I selfishly didn’t want it to end!
On a less serious note, when sitting at the front it is advisable to watch your feet. Every time someone walked near me or was thrown towards me I felt compelled to tuck my feet as far under my seat as was humanly possible. While I may have been rather taken with the idea of Armitage landing in my lap I would have been mortified if one of my wayward feet had interfered with the play in any way.
Finally, the lip wobble. Sitting so close to the stage you see more than I ever thought was possible and as he took his applause, Richard Armitage’s bottom lip was visibly shaking. People whooped and cheered and it looked to me as if he wanted to smile in thanks but, and I’m second guessing him here, the emotion of what he’d just put himself through was still visible on his face and apart from a slight upward twitch at the corner of his mouth he was unable to do it.
I have loved having the privilege of seeing The Crucible and have especially loved having the opportunity to see it twice. The front row seat could never be bettered. It is an astonishing piece of theatre and I’m only sorry I won’t ever see it again.
Thanks to Julia for organising this second trip!
What lovely and honest account of your second experience of The Crucible. I am going back on the 2nd for the interview and then staying on for the play and I cannot wait. I am sitting in the dress circle this time on a restricted view seat but I don’t care. In a way, I think it will be better because the last time I was so close I actually couldn’t stare the actors right on the face. It was all too powerful. There was nowhere to hide. Also, last time I attended with my daughter and on the 2nd I will be on my own. I did not cry the first time, though I wanted to. I reckon I may do this time. I feel for Richard, I truly do. Part of me wants him to do more theatre, the other recognises he is so committed to anything he does (I am the same) that he leaves his heart and soul in it and suffers physically for it. I reckon he has lost weight since he started The Crucible. He is a Leo like myself so I sense he gives a lot of himself in everything he undertakes. He wouldn’t have it any other way. I guess the best thing to do is to hold him in our thoughts and prayers so that he continues to succeed, be healthy and above all, be happy.
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Thanks. I guess the front row is not for everyone but I loved being that close. If it had been less well acted then being so close may have been off-putting. I’m not sure I agree that RA is suffering. He may have lost weight but he doesn’t look unhealthy in any way and it may be extremely hard work and emotionally draining but that will have come as no surprise to him. I’d pay a lot of money to see him on stage again and I shall live in hope that I get that chance before too long. I believe he was born to it.
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I also saw this same performance though I was not on the front row! Loved to hear your thoughts and feelings about it – unforgettable!
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Thanks! It was unforgettable…I worry that the memory will fade with time and I so don’t want it to.
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Thanks for this second review with the additional details. So happy you could again!
I’m with you on the humor — I’ve read the play script about a dozen times this year, and to me there are clearly some moments that are intended to be (black) humorous and others that could be funny if they were played right. A lot of that depends on how it’s played and how the audiences are reacting, but to me the complaints in some reviews about the audience laughing are another manifestation of this idea that we have that things can only be serious or only funny and above all we must always take theatre as seriously as possible. (As you might have guessed, I don’t have a lot of patience with that notion.) Sometimes we see more the seriousness of a situation if it’s punctuated with moments of humor. And really, if the audience thinks something is funny — well, then it is!
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I’ll wager not as happy as me! 🙂
Yep, totally agree on the humour. And humour can be poignant too…at the end of the play Rebecca Nurse falters on her way to the gallows, Proctor steadies her and she says, “I’ve had no breakfast”. There was a ripple of laughter around the theatre…it was quietly amusing…but tinged with great poignancy. Rebecca Nurse – dignified until the end.
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No, probably not as happy as you 🙂
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What a wonderful narrative of your visit to The Crucible. Loved it! Have been there myself 3 times this week (not on Wednesday LOL), and I can only confirm what you have written. Every time I sat on another side (2nd row), and it’s really interesting how the perception changes. Probably my first time was a bit difficult, because of my overgrown expectations, having waited for so long, flying to London, spending loads of money etc….I felt rather overwhelmed (ok, haven’t read the book before!) and somehow strangely not excited enough (for my liking!). At that the second show was breathtaking. Still every time I shed tears at the end. Last performance, sitting on the left side (to speak in regular terms of the stage and auditorium) I had some extra unforgettable moments, where I could see (into) Proctors eyes. OMG those clear, bright eyes!! In that very moment I realised that is was probably the only opportunity in my life to see RA’s eyebeam (I like this word) so closely, almost palpable. Made my heart ache right away…
Kathryn, you’re so right about Proctors/Armitages transformations.They are absolutely hard to apprehend. (Having seen Richard in Berlin at the Premiere of DOS in December quite close at well. My initial reaction back then was, OMG that guy is not as tall as I had expected him to be, and he looked so fragile and slim!!) Proctor in the first half is almost a giant, he seems so down to earth, broad-shouldered, and powerful. The change later is downright impressive.
OMG how could I have missed that lip-wobble?????? Was it not there when I was there???
Yes, yes!! I do so wish he continues to play theatre, maybe not in the US (cough!! oh dear, greedy me!), because I wouldn’t be able to go there!
PS: What irritates me mostly is the shortness of the applause. Being used to German theatres, and if a play is that keenly received, it will not get only “2 curtains” but at least “5-6 curtains” (the longer people applaud, the more frenetic they can get!! ;-).This can take up to about 5 minutes or even longer! (ok, they are not anticipating the stagedoor with Mr. A, like they do at the Old Vic!) 😀
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Wow! 3 times in a week? In some ways I’m glad I had a few weeks in-between visits but I do wish I could go again. I’m not sure the lip wobble is there every time. I didn’t see it the first time I went. I imagine some performances just hit him more emotionally than others.
I think the length of applause entirely depends on the production. With the length of this production long curtain calls could be tricky…with matinees they want to get the audience out as quickly as possible…with evening shows they must be very aware that the audience often have trains to catch. Also, us Brits can be quite perfunctory about these things 🙂
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[…] D on her second visit — very […]
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Thanks for your really nice insights on The Crucible. I also enjoyed every bit of it last week. From the dress circle, I had the feeling that John Proctor was getting very big and strong again once he took the decision to keep his pride, once he torn apart his confession. But of course, this is just my vision. As it is in the round, I could not always see the actors’ facial expressions but maybe a bit focused on Richard Armitage, I must admit, you could feel the emotions conveyed by his attitudes. That was brilliant. I was also taken aback by the shortness of the applause as in France like in Germany your palms may start heating as well. But you’re right, it is really efficient and there’s time enough to show how pleased you are with the play. Many thanks.
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Thanks for reading! 🙂 You might be right about him appearing taller again at the end..I was a bit too emotional to take note 😉
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Kathryn, anything you write is so insightful and balanced and your reviews of The Crucible especially so. I won’t have the privilege of seeing RA in this role unless it travels to Australia and that’s highly unlikely so what you have said is such food for thought.
Almost from the beginning of his visible career, I have imagined RA as a truly fine stage actor, above and beyond the cinema or TV because with each performance he seems to re-invent himself time and time again and I bet with each performance there is a nuance a previous audience may not have seen (e.g. – you saw a lip wobble, others did not).
I for one would be quite happy to see him continue onstage as an actor or to become a director which he has often mentioned. I think his powers of observation and his ability to play out those observations are much more intense on stage than in the cinema or TV where editors and producers and CGI have an equal role.
And as an aside, I agree – it must be a crucifying effort to leave the role at the stage door each day/night. How do stage actors do it successfully? Maybe THAT is the role of the ‘meet and greet’ at the stage door – to gently draw him back to reality. Just a thought.
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Gosh, thank you! You’re very kind. And I so agree about his powers of observation. I’d be fascinated to see what he’d do as a director although I would miss seeing him!
I hadn’t thought of the stage door playing a role in returning him to reality. I think under most circumstances stage doors are stressful. Having witnessed the chaos of a David Tennant one and nearly being crushed in it I was surprised at the quiet, polite, orderly queue waiting for Richard. We’re a classy fandom obviously 😉 and I can see how it could be grounding after the intense emotions of the play.
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Thank you for such a moving narration of your second experience of the play. What a difference a row makes. I love the details you gave about the play and your heartfelt reactions to it.
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Thank you for reading…glad you enjoyed it.
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Such a moving and insightful review.I have seen the play twice too.The first time was a preview night and on my second visit I also had a front row seat and there were quite a few changes in how the play progressed.
From front row you do really feel you are “there”, and I cried both times! Real tears, runny nose, yes full on emotion-from Richard! And he really does seem to shrink before your very eyes.There is no week link in the rest of the cast either.I have seen lots of theatre as I used to work as a courier, have never been so affected by a performance before and doubt I will be again- unless Mr A does another, which I really hope he will of course.
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Thank you! The front row feels like such a privileged position doesn’t it? I could have progressed to runny nose but was a little self-conscious of full on sobbing in front of my friend! Totally agree about there being no weak link – the whole thing was perfect.
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Beautiful review! Loved to hear about the emotion you could see on his face during the applause…. and I understand you so well, I want to see the play again and I’m hunting for tickets… and if I do see it, I will definitely cry because it’s the last time. I am already in tears thinking of it.
Also, good for you that you decided to stand up at the end before the others did!
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Thanks so much. I couldn’t go again even if there were tickets available so in many ways I’m quite relieved it’s pretty much sold out – this way I’m not fretting over might have beens. If you do get to go again, hope you have a wonderful time.
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Thank you for your second review. It is interesting that just a different seat can give a different view of the play. I have enjoyed reading your reviews since I am not able to go.
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Glad you’ve enjoyed reading. It’s a pleasure to share it.
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