Kimberly Belflower's hit Broadway play John Proctor is the Villain has arrived at the Royal Court Theatre in London, offering a brilliantly cathartic reimagining of Arthur Miller's classic witch-trial drama. Set in a one-stoplight town in Georgia in 2018, the play captures the enraging reality of high school life at the peak of the #MeToo movement.
The story follows a group of eleventh-grade students in a conservative Christian community where reputation and conformity are paramount. When earnest Beth wants to start a feminist society, inspired by her worldly new friend Nell from Atlanta, the school administration sees it as a threat. Their young English teacher, Carter Smith, intervenes by reframing the group as a literary discussion group, but the danger cannot be contained so easily.
Belflower skilfully shows how new ideas can quickly contaminate a small, contained environment. The girls eagerly discuss the theory that women should be believed, but when accusations hit close to home, their resolve crumbles. Their teacher is a figure of authority both in school and church, making it feel sacrilegious to question him, even when he dismisses their criticisms of The Crucible's adulterous anti-hero, John Proctor.
Danya Taymor's production is breezy and joyful, treating the awkward crew of friends with teasing love. Holly Howden Gilchrist shines as nerdy Beth, while Miya James brings depth to Raelynn, who gradually realises she wants to break free from her controlling boyfriend. Sadie Soverall is a standout as the caustic Shelby, whose arrival provides a tonic of truth-telling that leaves her sweetly repressed friends in horrified admiration.
The play culminates in a frenzied, Lorde-fuelled dancefloor climax, offering a perfect outlet for the frustration of a brief mass feminist awakening replaced by deadening silence. For those wanting to understand the hidden dramas of the #MeToo era, this play is an essential watch.
