John Proctor Is the Villain Announces West End Transfer Following Sold-out Royal Court Run
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**Kimberly Belflower**’s *John Proctor Is the Villain* will transfer to the West End following its critically acclaimed, sold-out run at the Royal Court Theatre.
Directed by Tony Award-winner Danya Taymor, the production will play a strictly limited 12-week season at [Wyndham’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/wyndhams-theatre-london) from 2 February to 24 April 2027.
The play originally premiered on Broadway in 2025 at the Booth Theatre, earning seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Play, before coming to the Royal Court Theatre where it has continued to play to sold-out audiences throughout its run.
Set in a small town, *John Proctor Is the Villain* follows five teenage girls as tensions rise beneath a backdrop of pop music, adrenaline and growing unrest. As long-buried truths begin to surface, the group are forced to re-examine everything they thought they knew — and take control of their own narratives.
The production has been widely praised for its sharp, contemporary voice and its exploration of girlhood, power and truth.
### **What do critics say about *John Proctor Is the Villain* at the Royal Court Theatre?**
The Royal Court production has received strong critical acclaim during its London run.
The *Financial Times* awarded the play five stars, calling it “a joyous, blazingly intelligent play,” *WhatsOnStage* praised it as “absolutely essential,” adding that “this is art that helps us to understand life,” and *Time Out* gave four stars, noting simply that “the hype is real.”
### **FAQs**
### **What is *John Proctor is the Villain*?**
*John Proctor is the Villain* is a new play by **Kimberly Belflower** exploring girlhood, power, and truth through a group of young women in a small town.
### **How does *John Proctor Is the Villain* relate to *The Crucible*?**
**Kimberly Belflower**’s *John Proctor Is the Villain* is a contemporary play that revisits *The Crucible* through a #MeToo perspective. It follows a group of high school students who begin to question the traditional portrayal of John Proctor, arguing instead that he should be seen as a villain who abused his position and exploited a teenage girl. The play is set against the backdrop of studying *The Crucible* in the classroom, using it to interrogate long-held ideas about power, misogyny, and who gets to be framed as a victim or a hero.
### **Where is *John Proctor is the Villain* playing in London?**
*John Proctor is the Villain* will play at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End.
### **When is *John Proctor is the Villain* running?**
*John Proctor is the Villain* runs from 2 February to 24 April 2027.
### **Who will be in the West End cast of *John Proctor is the Villain?***
Casting for the West End transfer is to be announced.
### **How can I get tickets for *John Proctor is the Villain*?**
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