Cast announced for UK transfer of John Proctor is the Villain at the Royal Court Theatre

The cast has been announced for the UK transfer of John Proctor is the Villain, the seven-time Tony

Award-nominated play by Kimberly Belflower, directed by Tony Award-winner Danya Taymor (The Outsiders).

Following a sold-out, critically acclaimed Broadway run, the production will play the Royal Court Theatre from Friday 20 March to Saturday 25 April 2026.

The third production in the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary season, John Proctor is the Villain is a sharp, darkly funny reimagining of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which originally premiered at the Royal Court in 1956. The play follows five young women fuelled by pop music, optimism and fury, as they begin to expose the buried truths of their small town. It is a story of girlhood, power, and questioning the narratives we are taught to accept.

Cast

The UK cast includes:

• Lauryn Ajufo as Nell Shaw

• Charlie Borg as Lee Turner

• Reece Braddock as Mason Adams

• Dónal Finn as Carter Smith

• Holly Howden Gilchrist as Beth Powell

• Clare Hughes as Ivy Watkins

• Miya James as Raelynn Nix

• Molly McFadden as Bailey Gallagher

• Sadie Soverall as Shelby Holcomb

Three members of the cast make their professional debuts in this production.

Creative team

Scenography is by AMP, featuring Teresa Williams. Costume design is by Sarah Laux, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and sound design with original composition by Palmer Hefferan. Projection design is by Hannah Wasileski, with hair and make-up design by J. Jared Janas. Movement direction is by Tilly Evans-Kreuger, with voice and dialect coaching by Gigi Buffington. Casting is by Julia Horan CDG, dramaturgy by Lauren Halvorsen, and Associate Direction by Yanni Ng.

“One day, maybe, the new world we were promised will actually be new…”

Ticket information

In partnership with Time Out, 2,000 tickets will be made available for under-35s at £25. The theatre will also offer its regular £15 Monday rush tickets throughout the run. Tickets for Monday performances go on sale at 9am on the day of the performance.

Production credits

John Proctor is the Villain is presented by the Royal Court Theatre, Wagner Johnson Productions, Wessex Grove, Sonia Friedman Productions, Runyonland and John Mara Jr.