Oxford Theatre Guild returns to the Playhouse from Tuesday with The Crucible, a classic of the stage by one of the greatest 20th-century dramatists, Arthur Miller.

It is set in 17th-century Massachusetts, in the Puritan settlement of Salem. Miller wrote the play in 1952 as his reaction to the anti-communist ‘witch trials’ set up by Senator Joe McCarthy.

The Crucible, with its plot twists, reversals of fortune and conflicted characters, is an exciting moral thriller that pits personal responsibility against public good.

When a group of village girls try to save themselves by denouncing neighbours as witches, they start an appalling chain of events that gather in momentum in ways they could never have imagined.

As the hysteria mounts, the net closes, ensnaring the innocent.

The more the truth is told, the blacker things become as the play hurtles compellingly towards its terrifying conclusion.

Asked why she wanted to take on this play, director Sue Baxter explained: “The Crucible is one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. It has a power to move and to challenge an audience, examining a matter of conscience – whether to stand up for what is right or be cowardly and self-serving.

“OTG are in the happy position of performing in a venue and with a company of actors that can do this great play justice and I am pleased to be working with them again.”

Since the play was first performed in 1953, critics have heaped praise on it, and it is now a staple of secondary school syllabuses in the UK.

Tickets for are available from the Playhouse box office on 01865 305305 or online (www.oxfordplayhouse.com).