For decades, Abigail Williams – the main instigator of the Salem Witch Trials in Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ – has been cast as one of theatre’s most manipulative and villainous young women, but what if we handed her the mic? NIDA alumni Rebecca McNamee (Directing, 2024) and Ebony Tucker (Acting, 2021) are challenging long-held perceptions with Abigail Williams, a one-woman play that reclaims the character’s voice. After a sold-out season at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists, the production is bumping in at the HERstory Arts Festival. We caught up with Rebecca and Ebony about this exciting new work and why now is the time to finally listen to Abigail’s side of the story.
Ebony Tucker (Acting, 2021)
Ebony, in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Abigail is portrayed as a foil and a villain. How does Abigail Williams challenge that perception, and what has it been like stepping into her story with more depth and nuance?
Abigail Williams reveals something that Miller’s famous play seems to overlook—that she is human. In our play, we see the powerlessness, trauma, and survival instincts that drive her actions, but we also see her joy, her love, her friends, and her dreams. We meet Abigail for who she truly is in the context of Miller’s famous play, an orphan in a rigid Puritan society, a teenage girl with no agency, and someone whose desires and fears are dictated by the men around her.
Stepping into her story with more depth and nuance has been a profound experience. It’s a gift to peel back the assumptions and confront the uncomfortable truths of power dynamics, gender, and historical revisionism. Our retelling gives Abigail her own voice; rather than asking audiences to sympathise with her, it invites them to truly listen to her, perhaps for the first time. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to step into her shoes and invite the audience into her world.
This is a one-woman show where you embody multiple characters. How have you approached the physical and vocal demands of switching between perspectives while keeping Abigail’s presence at the core?
It was a huge challenge, but also an incredible journey. Director/Writer Rebecca McNamee and I spent long hours in the rehearsal room, breaking apart the script and uncovering the truth in each character, because Rebecca really did write so much life into this script. The heart of this show is finding the humanity in everyone—Abigail’s heart exists in all the characters, even those who hurt her.
The physical and vocal shifts came through deep investigation, collaboration with an amazing team on the 2023 production, and drawing on techniques I’d developed as a NIDA student. From our intimacy coordinator to our movement coach, being able to understand how each character breathes, how they walk, the energy they carry in their bodies, and then how to sustain those choices. Having that breadth of training to lean on was both comforting and invaluable. Never undervalue a good warm-up, either!
After a sold-out season at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists, how has the transition to the HERstory Arts Festival at the Wharf impacted your approach to the role and the production as a whole?
We were so grateful for the support and the love for Abigail Williams at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists, and it really empowered us to work hard to get this show up again. Transitioning to the HERstory Arts Festival has felt like a natural progression, particularly because of its deep commitment to celebrating women’s voices, creativity, and contributions through arts and culture. Performing at the iconic Wharf 2 Theatre is incredibly exciting. There’s a history and a legacy to that space, and to have the chance to share our work there feels like a significant moment for both the production and the entire team.
As an actor, stepping into the role again with the knowledge that we’re now presenting it in a different, larger context has deepened my approach to the character. The themes of power and the female experience take on even more weight in this new environment, and more now than ever, it feels like we need art that continues to challenge and provoke. We’re living in a time of rapid political and social change- I think Abigail Williams in part reminds us that history is always at risk of repeating itself.
One-person plays require a unique dynamic between actor and director. How did Rebecca McNamee guide you in shaping Abigail’s emotional journey and keeping the audience engaged throughout?
From the moment I auditioned for Abigail Williams it was clear this role was going to require honesty and collaboration. Rebecca brought with her a generosity, so much knowledge and history to this script, and immediately met me as an equal collaborator and really trusted me to find Abigail in my own way. Rebecca reminded me of the importance of making the audience listen—nothing is owed, everything must be earned, both by me and Abigail, which I think is a great reminder of what a privilege it is to be an artist and storyteller.
I find the term “one-person” play to be a misrepresentation of reality! The lighting, the sound, the design, our technical crew really holds my hand throughout the performances. I’m so grateful to work with Rebecca, for all our work in the rehearsal room and everyone who’s contributed to this show, past and present.
Abigail Williams is part of a broader conversation about how women’s stories are framed and rewritten. How do you feel this play contributes to that discussion, and what does it mean to you as an artist to be a part of it?
Abigail Williams is an incredible example of how women’s stories have been framed and rewritten. Abigail was a real 12-year-old Puritan girl in Salem. The Crucible presents her as a 17-year-old scheming antagonist, but historical records suggest a more complex reality—one where young women were victims of their society just as much as they were participants in its hysteria. This is a direct reflection of how women, especially those who challenge power structures, are often villainized or simplified in narratives written by men- they’re not provided the privilege of nuance or agency; this is something faced now as much as it was in historical Salem.
As an artist, being part of this story means engaging with these layers of history and interpretation, and I’m very grateful to inhabit Abigail. Honest art feels so much bigger than yourself- and I feel like I have a duty to Abigail and people who resonate with her story. We invite audiences to reconsider how we treat and remember women specifically and all peoples who exist at the margins of history—those whose voices have been distorted or silenced altogether. We aren’t asking audiences to love Abigail, but isn’t it time we finally listen to her side of the story?
Rebecca McNamee (Directing, 2024)
Rebecca, what drew you to re-examine Abigail’s story, and what do you hope audiences take away from this new perspective?
As a mother of teenage daughters, I was shocked when I discovered that The Crucible is still studied in schools without always exploring the female perspective. The assumption that Abigail is a villain without exploring the context around her story struck me as concerning. Teenage girls are complex, emotional, loving and social beings. What if Abigail, like teenage girls across the centuries, fell in love without fully understanding the repercussions of her actions? If that love was encouraged – should we say that she is solely culpable for the chaos that ensued? I hope this piece encourages the audience to consider that sometimes works that we, as a society, consider canon, are not above scrutiny.
Abigail Williams was first staged at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists. How did that experience shape the production, and what did you learn from that creative process?
I initially wrote Abigail Williams as a 2-hour period screenplay; however, the time constraints NIDA’s festival meant that I could not adapt the entire script for stage. This forced me to deeply interrogate what was at the heart of my story. I worked through many versions, but at every iteration I kept coming back to the concept that this was Abigail’s story, and hers alone. It soon became obvious that this needed to be a one-woman piece so that Abigail could be front and centre of her own story.
One-person plays rely heavily on the actor’s ability to command the stage. How did you work with Ebony Tucker to develop the emotional and narrative beats that keep the audience engaged?
As all good storytellers know, when you are talking to a crowd, whether that be in a classroom, or a presentation, or at a pub with friends, you receive energy from those listening to your story. Ebony, as Abigail, is the storyteller, so I encouraged her at every stage of the rehearsal process to speak up if she felt that the story she was telling was losing her audience. Together, we cut lines, expanded on emotional moments and explored Abigail’s relationship with the audience to find just the right balance. The ability to connect with an audience is an intangible skill but one Ebony possesses in spades. It is why she is perfect for this role.
This production is staged entirely by NIDA graduates. How has that shared training influenced the way you and your team approach the work?
NIDA produces graduates that personify the concept of professionalism. Every member of our team is committed to the work that they engage with. We were lucky enough to have the complete creative team from the Festival of Emerging Artists return. We also invited the entire technical team back as well, but unsurprisingly, many of them had already been snapped up by other productions around Sydney! Our shared NIDA experience means that we have a shared language around work ethic, artistic integrity and adopt a people-first approach to our work.
Abigail Williams is part of the HERstory Arts Festival from 23 – 26 April at Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 2. Book tickets here.
24 April (1pm) Show has a special invitation to a Free Artists Q&A included with the ticket. Actor, Designer and Director: From NIDA and Beyond
‘Join a Q&A with Actor Ebony Tucker (Acting, 2021), Designer Angelina Daniel (Design, 2024), and Director/Writer Rebecca McNamee (Directing, 2024) as they share insights from their journeys at NIDA and beyond. Hear from these talented recent alumni about their experiences at one of Australia’s most prestigious conservatories and how they’ve navigated life after graduation.’