The Royal Court cast of John Proctor is the Villain, © Camilla Greenwell
Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain is to transfer to the West End next year, following its current run at the Royal Court Theatre, producers have confirmed.
The production, directed by Danya Taymor, is currently playing a sold-out run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, where it continues until 25 April as part of the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary season.
In the West End, it will play a strictly limited 12-week season at Wyndham’s Theatre from 2 February to 24 April 2027.
The current Royal Court cast is led by Sadie Soverall as Shelby Holcomb and Dónal Finn as Mr Smith, with Lauryn Ajufo, Charlie Borg, Reece Braddock, Holly Howden Gilchrist, Clare Hughes, Miya James and Molly McFadden completing the company. Taymor reunited the original Broadway creative team for the production.
The show received a five-star rave from WhatsOnStage’s Sarah Crompton, being described as “art that helps us to understand life, a tribute to literature as a map for comprehension, and to dance for expressing all the things that words cannot.”
The play received seven Tony Award nominations during its Broadway run at the Booth Theatre in 2025, including Best Play and Best Actress in a Play for star Sadie Sink.
The Royal Court was also the venue where Arthur Miller’s The Crucible – the play Belflower’s work directly responds to – had its London premiere in the Court’s first-ever season in 1956.
Belflower and Taymor said today: “Bringing John Proctor is the Villain to the West End is a true honour and profound joy for us, especially on the heels of its very witchy UK debut in the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary season. The play has been igniting London audiences, and we have fallen deeply in love with this great city. We are so grateful that our spells worked and more people will be able to see the play here – and come back again and again – at the incredible Wyndham’s Theatre in 2027.”
Full casting for the West End transfer is still to be confirmed.
