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The Crucible, The Octagon Theatre, Bolton, until Saturday, March 1.

Tickets 01204 520661.

ARTHUR Miller's sinister play about the dangers of a society in panic seems as relavent now as when it was written in 1953.

The play is set in 1662 and tells the story of events that occured during the Salem witch trials, where dozens of innocent people were killed after being falsely accused of witchcraft.

From the young girls manipulating the truth for their own ends to power-crazed Reverend Parris twisting issues for his own purposes, The Crucible reflects some of the very worst of the world's societies.

And the Octagon's new production captures that drama perfectly.

Chook Sibtain plays the part of Joh Proctor, the hero of the play, and a man who captures the attention of all who watch him, so strident and charismatic is performance, while Maireed Conneely is tragic as his wife Elizabeth, who falls foul of Abigail Williams' scheming ways.

Catherine Kinsella is superb as Abigail, whose lies start the tragic chain of events, and who sees the opportunity to exploit the situation for her own ends. She plays the part with a malevolance that is terrifying to watch.

Matt Rixon, the son of Matthew Kelly, returns to the Octagon for the fourth time to take the role of Reverend Hale, and conveys the cruelty of the plot, as his character crumbles in the face of injustice.

And the rest of the cast play their parts with conviction, transporting us into Miller's world. It is a testament to director Mark Babych that by the end of the play the audience's emotions are so powerfully raised that it was difficult to shake them off when we walked out into the snowy Bolton of 2008.

5:29pm Saturday 2nd February 2008

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