In the Scottish Ballet Studio: Rehearsals for ‘The Crucible’

neunorganisation
Apr 9
2 min read

© Mihaela Bodlovic

Take a look with neun Magazine behind the scenes of the Scottish Ballet in rehearsals for The Crucible.

All credits for the text and information below go to the Scottish Ballet.

In a spring season that has already seen two major Arthur Miller productions on UK stages (Death of A Salesman and A View From A Bridge) and an upcoming run of The Crucible at Shakespeare’s Globe, this award-winning dance adaptation of Miller’s masterpiece unleashes the full emotional force of the story as a narrative ballet.

The Crucible is a 1953 play by Arthur Miller, telling the story of the late 17th century Salem Witch Trials.

Choreographed by Helen Pickett, the bewitching work returns to Scotland’s stages for the first time since its premiere in 2019, and after thrilling audiences in London and the US. A dark and strikingly modern production, Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible has been described by critics as a ‘ballet for our times’.

© Mihaela Bodlovic

© Mihaela Bodlovic

Christopher Hampson, Artistic Director/CEO of Scottish Ballet, said:

“The Crucible was created as part of Scottish Ballet’s 50th anniversary in 2019, and having toured extensively through the UK and USA, it is now a cornerstone of Scottish Ballet’s repertoire. Helen’s adaptation remains unique in its ability to focus the lens of scrutiny in Arthur Miller’s play so deftly through dance. Full-length works choreographed by women remain all too scarce. The Crucible adds to our ever-growing list of productions created by women – Coppélia, A Streetcar Named Desire and Mary, Queen of Scots – with more to come.”

© Mihaela Bodlovic

© Mihaela Bodlovic

Helen Pickett, Choreographer of The Crucible, said:

“It was an incredibly fulfilling collaborative process working with Scottish Ballet to bring my vision of Arthur Miller's play to the stage. I had the pleasure of working with an exceptional creative team, Peter Salem, James Bonas, Emma Kingsbury and David Finn, and together we translated this iconic drama into the powerful medium of dance. I couldn’t be more thrilled for Scottish Ballet bringing The Crucible back to the stage for this National tour.”

© Mihaela Bodlovic

© Mihaela Bodlovic

Scottish Ballet First Artist Amy McEntee said:

“What makes The Crucible so special is that everyone in the company has a different favourite moment or highlight. Every dancer on stage has a named role and has deeply invested in the narrative, helping bring this complex story to life through dance. I hope the audience sees our dedication to the story—not just from the principal characters but from the entire cast.”