Viel

Local actresses
in production
of The Crucible

THOUGH THEY never share
the stage in the Vancouver
Playhouse production of The
Crucible, the characters
played by North Van actors
Wendy Noel and Janne Mortil
‘are inextricably intertwined.

By Layne Christensen
Community Reporter

Noei, 38. plays Elizabeth
Proctor. Mortil, 28, plays her
nemesis, Abigail Williams.

It is Abigail's obsessive love for
Elizabeth's husband John that sets
off a devastating chain of events in
this tale of repression and intoler-
ance penned by Arthur Miller and
set in 17th-century Massachusetts.

The Crucible is based on the
true story of the Salem witch hunts,
which resulted in the hangings of
_19 innocent people.

Written in 1953, at the height of
the McCarthy Senate Hearings. it is
‘also a parable for the Communist
witch hunts of the ‘40s and ‘SOs.

“The lessons and parallels don’t
stop there, say Noel and Mortil dur-
ing a break from rehearsals.

The play deals with “issues of
“truth and responsibility.” says Noel.

“But it’s also about people,”
adds Mortil, “and what happens
when they're so scared ... how far
they’ go in saving themselves and
even sell our others (around them).*

The Crucible is an epic produc-
tion, with 19 cast members (includ-
ing. former North Vancouver resi-
dent Jillian Fargey and current
North Vancouver resident Suzanne

’ Ristic) and an impressive set.

To gain greater insight into the
events that inspired the play.
Vancouver Playhouse artistic direc-
-tor Susan Cox'and set designer Bill

' Schmuck journeyed to Salem.

-, The actors had their own prepa-

_ vations to make, including a month
of rehearsals, eight hours a day, six

ting intol

NORTH VAN actor Wendy Noel (right), pictured with Randy
Hughson, wresties demons and witches in The Crucible.

days a week.

Mortil had an extra week of

rehearsals with Debra Brown.
choreographer for Montreal's
Cirque de Soleil, to nail down the
play’s opening sequence of a
bewitching dance in the woods.

Mortil has also had to get under
the skin of Abigail, a most unsym-
pathetic character, to see what
motivates her. ;

“She's a young girl who has had
no expression of love. She's very
spirited and there’s mo place for
that in her society,” she says in part
justification of Abigail's harsh
actions.

The Crucible runs to Feb. 3 at
The Vancouver Playhouse.
Hamilton and Dunsmuir.
Performances are Monday through
Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees
every Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are

available at the box office, 873-

3311, or through Ticketmaster at
280-3311. .

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