John Proctor is the Villain

Kimberly Belflower's new play John Proctor is the Villain moves from the Royal Court to the West End, where Wyndham's Theatre hosts this London production. It is a drama about a group of young women and the secrets of a small town.

Written by Kimberly Belflower, John Proctor is the Villain follows five young women in a small town. Pop music and mounting anger run through the story, and as long-buried truths come to the surface, the women begin to question what they have been told and take control of the narrative themselves. The production was first staged at the Royal Court, and its London run at Wyndham's Theatre is a limited season.

The production is directed by Danya Taymor, a Tony Award winner whose Broadway work includes The Outsiders. The play deals with girlhood, the exercise of power, and the courage needed to challenge accepted ideas, presenting these themes through a sharp, carefully controlled staging. The cast is made up of the five young women at the centre of the drama.

Reviewers have responded strongly. The Financial Times and WhatsOnStage both praised the production, and Time Out's verdict was headlined "The Hype IS Real". The show suits audiences drawn to new writing and to contemporary plays about youth, identity and the pressure of a close-knit community.