THE DEVIL SET FOOT IN SALEM, TO TEMPT GOOD THOMAS BROWN               
As one half of Metropolitan's Fall repertory, SALEM, an adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown," shows that with enough creativity, even the slightest and most difficult staging spaces can become distinctive.  With a set consisting of fabricated rocks, well-appointed leaves,  and some inspired painting, the scene is set for witchcraft, the Devil, and all of the suspicions those two evoke.

Not imbued with the literary subtlety or punch of the inspirational text, Alex Roe's SALEM is, nonetheless, an interesting examination of community, belief and betrayal.  The general story here is that the Devil invades Salem, corrupting much of the town.  Satan walks with Goodman Thomas Brown, attempting to sway him.  Brown is swept into a witches' communion in the dark of the woods, and is shocked by what he sees.  For the rest of the play, he seeks the truth about his neighbors, his associates, and even his own wife.

Staged on a bare set, save for the everpresent rocks, and a streak of bright, luminescent paint that implies a physical schism, perhaps between the real and the imagined, the darkness and the light, the woods and the town, the pure and the evil... (select your antonyms), there is a timelessness to the story.  No surprise there, as Hawthorne's texts have held for generations, that a tale set in 1691 Salem, Massachusetts, with mostly period dialogue, can resonate so.  I think it is the simplicity.  The story is more about character than a specific point in time.  So, in a day and age where our own president makes frequent reference to "The Evil One," could the notion of the Devil incarnate ever seem dated?

In terms of this production, there are some notable problems with a few actors tripping over the dialogue.  No major incidents in this vein, but the stumbling did affect the rhythm.  Another drawback is that there is no terror here, and really, no measurable stakes.  Do I really care if Thomas joins with Satan?  He seems like a nice guy, but, I am not even sure why he is upset about what is going on in the town.

SALEM desperately needs a punch.  It needs to evoke emotion rather than speculation.  It needs to jolt rather than pass time.  It needs consequences.  So, I applaud the effort, even as I fault the product.

             - Kessa De Santis -