The Crucible

Das Deutsche Theater München hosts a production of the Theresien-Gymnasium München

Of mass delusions and abuse of power 

Theater classes are firmly established at the Theresien-Gymnasium in Munich. This year, 16 students of the 11th grade perform for the first time in our Silbersaal. With The Crucible, a play was chosen that is based on historical events and at the same time is current: It is about mass delusion and abuse of power.

Witches in town

The story takes place in 1692 in Salem. A group of young girls are caught performing an occult ritual in the forest. To escape a harsh punishment, they pretend to faint and fall ill. Since the doctors can’t find an explanation for the “illnesses,” rumors of devil conjuring and witchcraft spread through the town. A specialist is supposed to help clarify the matter and questions the girls. They quickly realize that they can protect themselves by accusing others of having incited them to commit the crime and indiscriminately mention names of neighbors and acquaintances. The husband of one of the accused sees through the lies and tries to expose them. But the delusion is already deeply rooted in the minds of the population …

Background

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible based on the actual events of the Communist hunt of the early 1950s in the USA. It deals with fear and mass delusion, denunciation and the abuse of political power. The 11th grade profile course of the Theresien-Gymnasium reworks the material in a current context: “When we chose the play, we had in mind the rampant hatred of fanatical Trump supporters today, who will use any means to defend their privileges and who often can no longer be reached with rational arguments,” says director Johannes Schittler.

The 7th-10th grade students are also performing in our Silbersaal this year. You can find more about their play Joking Apart here.