Witch-hunt on Delhi stage: NSD students to perform Arthur Miller’s text against McCarthyism
American playwright’s adaptation of the 17th century Salem witch trials resonates with several aspects of our hyperconnected and deeply divided world, says director
4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Nov 19, 2025 11:51 AM IST
The Crucible, the play that will be performed on campus at NSD by third-year students of the school from November 19 to 23, was written by American playwright Arthur Miller in 1953. (Express Photo)
The stage is turning dark at Abhimanch, the main theatre of the National School of Drama (NSD) at Mandi House. The walls are black, high, and stifling. They move when a scene ends, and a new wall flies in when a new scene begins. It is almost as though witches have taken over the world.
The Crucible, the play that will be performed on campus at NSD by third-year students of the school from November 19 to 23, was written by American playwright Arthur Miller in 1953. This is the first time that NSD will present an Arthur Miller text.
The plot, set in the town of Salem in Massachusetts in the late seventeenth century, revolves around the Salem witch trials, in which more than 200 people were accused of practising the devil’s magic and 20 were executed after a series of prosecutions in 1692-93.
Writing about his play in The New Yorker in 1996, Miller (1915-2005) described The Crucible as “an act of desperation”. Miller’s play is currently witnessing a resurgence – several world theatres such as the Globe Theatre and the Scottish Ballet have staged it this year as an act of protest against rising authoritarian tendencies in the world.
The play holds a mirror to several frightening social behaviours that seem all too familiar these days. The fires of the Salem witch hunt were fanned by baseless accusations, rumours, hysteria, and a climate of fear and xenophobia.
The Crucible being staged in New York City in 2016. (Photo: The New York Times)
At the centre of the story is a group of girls, who are seen dancing in a forest. Afraid of being accused of witchcraft, they accuse others, their neighbours and acquaintances, of occult practice. The allegations are without evidence, but the accused find themselves hounded. At the end of the play, the central character, a farmer named John Proctor, finds the courage to speak truth to power.
Miller wrote the play as a parable for Senator Joseph McCarthy’s infamous “witch-hunt” of those suspected of being communists in the United States in the 1950s. Amitesh Grover, a member of the NSD faculty who is directing the production, said, “I was thinking about this play because of the kind of witch hunts that we’ve been seeing in our media. We have seen the media going after innocent people and accusing them falsely. Then, years later, we find out that there was actually no truth and no evidence against the people who were the victims of these media witch hunts.”
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American playwright Arthur Miller at home in New York, in 1952. (Photo: The New York Times)
In his Director’s Note, Grover writes that in today’s hyperconnected and deeply divided world, witch-hunts continue under different names. “Rumour travels faster than fact; reputations are destroyed in seconds; and moral certainty, once again, becomes a tool of control. We have only changed the arena — the village square has turned into a digital feed, the gallows into a trending hashtag, and confessions into public spectacles of shame. This production asks: What happens to a people when fear becomes faith? When private desires and guilt disguise themselves as moral righteousness? When the act of speaking the truth becomes the most dangerous rebellion of all?”
The Crucible, Grover says, is about the nature of justice, and about an individual’s own conscience. At the time schools had moral science classes, “there was something called good and there was something called bad and the difference was to be learnt from childhood,” he says.
The set, Grover says, has been “modeled…on an oppressive amount of height… If walls are supposed to be only 10 feet tall in the play, we have made them around 16-17 feet. If normal doors are 7 feet high, our play has 12-foot high doors. The set is quite overpowering. It gets infected by lies, witchcraft, accusations, and fear…”.
Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life.
Professional Background
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint.
Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series).
Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season:
1. Climate & Environment
"Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week.
"How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site.
"Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner.
2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage
"Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle.
"Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport.
"The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle.
3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc"
"Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema.
"Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups.
"How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor.
Signature Style
Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune.
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The Crucible being staged in New York City in 2016. (Photo: The New York Times)
American playwright Arthur Miller at home in New York, in 1952. (Photo: The New York Times)
