Review: Abigail at Wharf 2

Review by Kate Gaul

Redlane productions presents this remount of “Abigail” written and directed by Rebecca McNamee. First presented as a student production at NIDA and now part of a pair of works making up a season called HERStory.

So, obviously, this is an interrogation of the character of Abigail from Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. A young woman taken into the Proctor household only to become John Proctors undoing - “I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart. I never knew what pretence Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men!” Sometimes considered the villain of the piece, “Abigail” attempts to reclaim a fictional character’s humanity, grace and dignity.

Curiously this production comes to us at a time when we eagerly await the possibility of the Broadway sensation “John Proctor is the Villain”. A play that revisits Miller's classic through the lens of a group of modern-day high school students, prompting them to question the established narrative and examine the complexities of the characters and events within the play. While John Proctor is often portrayed as a heroic figure, this new play suggests a more nuanced and critical view of his actions and motivations, potentially challenging the audience to rethink their understanding of the character and the play.

“Abigail” begins with some meta-theatrical quotations from Sparks and Cliffs notes about the character of Abigail. Unreliable critiques. We are then plunged into a 50-minute story about how and why Abigail finds herself inside the Proctor household, become a proud and capable child’s nurse, and the impetus for the tragic events that unfold. Ebony Tucker is a gifted and luminous performer. McNamee as director sets the space well with resonant production design by Angelian Daniel and lighting design by Chris Milburn. Composer and sound designer Keelan Ellis supports key moments – it’s not always subtle but we appreciate the point. The production is confident. The atmosphere is eerie.

Which brings me to the script. “Abigail” is an engaging fictional story about a fictional character, based on a real person about whom is known very little. This Abigail is not presented as the villain of its preface and her relationship with John Proctor emerges as consensual - if on the nose. He’s 35, she’s 17 the obvious power imbalance is a, sadly, common story. At one point the character of Abigail is dropped and the actor tells us about infamous Chris Dawson and Australian women who have sought justice for a man’s revolting behaviour. It’s not a particularly subtle moment and any good work will resonate with the zeitgeist – as indeed (source material) “The Crucible” continues to do. “Abigail” is an interesting exercise in imagining a character before a play begins and indeed, the final image of this Abigail sitting and streaking blood on her face is chilling.

A terrific opportunity to engage with emerging independent artists in a well-appointed theatre. Let’s hope this heralds the opening of Wharf 2 to indie artists and our audiences. It is sorely needed!