SINGAPORE — “Vengeance is walking Salem,” John Proctor warns in despair. But for the first half of the proceedings, one wished this play about mass hysteria and paranoia had marched in with intent instead of on timid tiptoes.

Based on the tragic witch trials in puritanical Salem, Massachussets, in 1692 and inspired by the metaphorical — but no less disastrous — McCarthyist witchhunt of supposed communists in America in the 1950s, Arthur Miller’s classic play looks at a village where a group of young girls supposedly practising witchcraft lead to trials that tear the very social fabric of the community as, like a deadly game of dominoes, pointed fingers lead to mass imprisonment, torture and impending execution.

But like the townspeople who milled about and waited for a stricken young girl to “fly” early on, one initially does the same for Toy Factory’s staging of The Crucible.

Directed by Rayann Condy, it was a sluggish first half, threatening to sap the play of its energy; with its glaringly odd mix of young and established actors, to this writer, collectively struggling to rise to the occasion of the text’s in-built sense of dread and tension.

That said, on opening night, there are some potent individual performances to be noted in this uneven ensemble: Julie Wee as the innocent, fragile Eliza Proctor, Sharda Harrison as the guilt-ridden Mary Warren, and Jean Toh as the psychologically frail and complex Abigail Williams, on whose shoulders rests the fate of the witchhunt victims.

And to be completely fair, The Crucible eventually comes to its own. The sheer power and immediacy of this masterful piece of writing propels the play forward into its second half — where Rodney Oliveiro, as the play’s central voice of reason John Proctor, redeems himself with a forceful turn right at the end.

Like a venomous snake, The Crucible twists and turns before coiling around you to deliver its powerful bite. It is why, despite some unintended comedic moments that elicited giggles, one also hears gasps of shock from audience members.

Because, yes, this is still a work that warrants your eyes and ears — its issues of self-righteous moralising, of religious fundamentalism, of power spiralling out of control and the debilitating sense of helplessness among its victims, continue to be relevant to this day.

The Crucible runs until Feb 23, 8pm, Drama Centre Theatre. With 4pm (weekday) and 3pm (weekend) matinees. Tickets from S$42 to S$62 at Sistic.