Review: John Proctor Is The Villain (Royal Court)

Review by Daz Gale

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Parallels form an integral part of John Proctor Is The Villain, marrying up literary giants of the past with their unlikely contemporary counterparts. With that in mind, it feels fitting that the highly anticipated London debut for this acclaimed Tony-nominated play is at Royal Court, the very site that hosted the London premiere of The Crucible 50 years ago. Now celebrating 70 years, Royal Court similarly has a knack of marrying the past with the present, even dipping a toe in the future. After getting 2026 off to a strong start with a contender for the play of the year in Guess How Much I Love You, hopes were understandably high for its successor, but could John Proctor Is The Villain receive a similarly heroic response?

John Proctor Is The Villain transports the action from Salem in 1692 to a small town in Georgia in 2018 as five young women begin to study The Crucible, and discover unlikely parallels between their lives and the themes prevalent in Arthur Miller’s original story. As they begin to question the narratives around them, they threaten to expose the darkest secrets that have besieged their small town, bringing women’s voices to the forefront, and creating a very different kind of witch-hunt.

That attempt at a synopsis barely scratches the surface, as the layers that are uncovered throughout the course of John Proctor Is The Villain are plentiful. Kimberly Belflower’s writing is wonderfully creative with its clever use of self-referencing, resulting in a rich tapestry of themes, always ready to be uncovered. Using The Crucible as a reference, deliberately filling the show with parallels while questioning and attempting to reinterpret the source material is incredibly original and works on so many levels. Throughout the course of this play, I found myself realising and appreciating the detail in its writing as more and more were uncovered, whether it was identifying what can be considered a “safe space” (and what happens when that space is breached), talk of allegories, or even referencing Walt Whitman’s famous quote “I contain multitudes”, nothing is written without purpose, and John Proctor Is The Villain really does contain multitudes.

At the start of the review, I mentioned the parallels between those titans of the past and those from today. Of course, Arthur Miller features heavily, with much of the play dissecting his classic, The Crucible, but who are his contemporaries? It might surprise you to learn that Beyonce, Lizzo, Lorde and Taylor Swift are among those referenced as the modern-day literary giants. While that might not strike you as the most obvious of comparisons, it is a huge part of why John Proctor Is The Villain works on so many levels, drawing unexpected parallels between generations and blurring the lines in how we dissect works, what constitutes a literary work, and how their message can be interpreted differently as time moves on and society evolves.

Taylor Swift in particular features several times, with one key moment seeing the young women talking about Swift’s relationship with John Mayer, resulting in an outburst of the song she wrote for him, ‘Dear John’ - you don’t have to be a literary genius to make the comparison of John Mayer and John Proctor, but why is John Proctor the villain? This play doesn’t just question why the character is so adored as a literary hero, but goes one step further, questioning the nature of those who idolise him. This brings us to the themes at the heart of John Proctor Is The Villain, including toxic masculinity, the #MeToo movement, and the nature of witch hunts in themselves.

I could keep harping on at length about how clever every parallel, comparison and allegory is, but the result would be a review longer than the play itself. Rarely have I seen a piece with so much depth to it - no reference, however seemingly inconsequential, is there without reason, each serving a key purpose. It takes a gifted writer to take Lorde’s ‘Green Light’ and ensure the audience never listens to that song in the same way again, but that is exactly what Belflower has done in her writing, making a key interpretative dance scene all the more compelling.

The genius of Belflower’s writing is more than matched by Danya Taymor’s direction. Having worked with Belflower on the Broadway production, the magic of their collaboration is meticulously recreated on the other side of the pond to create a jaw-dropping piece of theatre. Chief to the success of this production is in the level of detail, with every facial expression, delivery of a line and reaction given more thought and attention than many plays deliver. This is at its best in the transitions between scenes, usually focusing on one character and amplifying whatever extreme reaction they are feeling. This also acts as a sign of what’s to come, though simultaneously offers a bit of misdirection at times.

About a third of the way through the play, my mind started racing about all of the directions the story could go, not knowing what twists and turns awaited. With many seeds planted early on, some of these didn’t come to fruition, merely being hinted at and existing in the background, but this again speaks to the strengths of both Belflower’s writing and Taymor’s direction. It would have been very easy to throw everything at John Proctor Is The Villain - instead, they manage to give each of the girls their own sub-story, with some more prominent than others, while allowing the audience to fill the gaps in what else might be going on in each of their lives.

It is the equivalent of the witch-hunt that provides the most jaw-dropping moment of the play. Whether you saw it coming or not (and I won’t spoil the moment for you), you would not have expected it to come out in the way it does in an incredibly powerful piece of theatre that proved uncomfortable and unsettling, but in the very best way. I have lost count at how many times I have used the phrase “theatre at its best can make you feel” in these reviews, but John Proctor Is The Villain is the perfect example of how much you can feel when it is done right. As well as these uncomfortable moments, there are also moments of joy and more than a small dosage of humour to be found along the way, as well as more emotional scenes. I felt like I had been through the wringer when the incredibly speedy 1 hour 50 minutes (a testament to the skill of the direction) reaches its climax.

A special mention also needs to go to all of the flawless design elements of the play. Though the majority of the action takes place inside a single classroom, the attention to detail is second to none, with a stunning set design even going as far as to create a whole world outside the classroom, even though only a tiny percentage of the audience will ever see that. Gorgeous lighting from Natasha Katz and surprising projection design from Hannah Wasileski make this a thrilling show visually, with Tilly Evans-Krueger’s movement playing a key part in a pivotal moment.

With a creative team as sensational as those who have been assembled for John Proctor Is The Villain, you need a cast to match that impeccable standard. Luckily, this show has that in spades, with a phenomenal group of performers assembling to impress at every turn. Holly Howden Gilchrist delivers a strong performance as Beth Powell, showcasing a sweet innocence and a naivety that slowly evolves as we watch her grow before our very eyes in a brilliant portrayal. Lauryn Ajufo is captivating as Nell, providing some of the laugh-out-loud moments early on with some great one-liners, and enjoying perhaps the sweetest moment in a standout scene with Mason, played by Reece Braddock in his professional stage debut.

Miya James is another highlight as Raelynn Nix, demonstrating conflicting aspects of a complicated character in one of the most intriguing performances of the play, expertly handled. A star in the making, James forms a strong double act with the character who proves to be the catalyst of the action, Shelby Holcomb. Played by Sadie Soverall, she may be a late arrival to the story, but she more than makes her presence felt, demanding attention whenever she is on stage and showcasing her immeasurable strengths as an actress. It is quite an intense performance, but Soverall delivers it faultlessly, resulting in a characterisation that stayed with me long after I left the theatre.

Though John Proctor Is The Villain has five young women at the heart of it (with a comparatively underused yet still impressive performance by Clare Hughes as Ivy Watkins making the fifth), there are two adults who bring varying dynamics to the story. Molly McFadden masters the art of patience as Bailey Gallagher in a character that seemingly doesn’t have too much to say and is always agreeable… until she isn’t, with her final scenes wowing. The main teacher of these young women is Carter Smith, played brilliantly by Dónal Finn. Full of charisma, it is clear to see why his students are so drawn to him, and Finn relishes in showcasing this side of his acting. However, it is in the ambiguity of the character that allows him to really play to his strengths, allowing for a performance that can be interpreted in multiple ways as the real nature of his character is put to the test.

If anyone says the perfect play does not exist, I will point them in the direction of John Proctor Is The Villain. Exceptional in every sense, from the layered and clever writing, the detailed direction and faultless cast, it is gripping from start to finish. It should also be said how timely this piece is, despite being set eight years ago, with themes on toxic masculinity and believing women, feeling all the more impactful now. The result is a piece that is powerful and thought-provoking, while remaining consistently entertaining and thrilling at every turn.

With a play as strong as this, it feels like a no-brainer to suggest a West End transfer is on the cards. I’m not going to suggest that at all, as it feels like an inevitability. I would be very surprised if we don’t see this sensational play in a West End home before the end of the year - you should also expect it to feature in next year’s Olivier Awards, and deservedly so. We are now one quarter into the year, and Royal Court have the honour of hosting the two best plays of the year so far, with John Proctor Is The Villain joining Guess How Much I Love You as representing the very best of theatre in 2026. At one point in the play, a usually mild-mannered character comments that sometimes a cuss word is the only word that fits (with a few more expletives dotted in) - in that spirit, I’m going to agree and say for the record that John Proctor Is The Villain is f***ing spellbinding.

John Proctor Is The Villain plays at Royal Court until 25th April.

The run is completely sold out, but keep an eye on https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/john-proctor-is-the-villain/ if anything becomes available

Photos by Camilla Greenwell