John Proctor Is The Villain - 2026

The Brief

Following its critically acclaimed Broadway run, John Proctor Is the Villain transferred to London’s Royal Court Theatre for its sold-out UK premiere in spring 2026. Kimberly Belflower’s play re-examines Arthur Miller’s The Crucible through the lens of the #MeToo movement, placing questions of power, authority and historical narrative at the centre of the production.

Universal Pixels supplied the production’s playback and projection system, supporting a visual design that evolved from naturalistic realism into an increasingly charged and disruptive environment.

The Creative Vision

For much of the performance, the story unfolds in a familiar high school classroom in rural Georgia. The visual design intentionally reinforces this sense of realism, grounding the audience in an apparently ordinary educational setting. As the narrative unfolds, however, that realism begins to fracture. The production increasingly uses projection and digital imagery to challenge the stability of the environment, culminating in a final sequence in which the classroom transforms into a space of collective rebellion and emotional release. The projections become not simply illustrative, but expressive, reflecting the changing perspective of the characters themselves.

The Challenge

The production required a system capable of supporting both subtle realism and dramatic visual transformation within the same theatrical space. The playback system needed to handle complex projection cues and transitions while delivering the image quality and dependability required for live theatre. At the same time, the technology needed to remain invisible for much of the performance, only revealing its full presence when the story arc demanded it.

The Technical Solution

Universal Pixels supplied a video system built around Disguise EX3+ and GX2 media servers alongside Panasonic RQ25 projectors. The combination of playback and projection provided the production with the flexibility to move between understated environmental realism and highly expressive visual sequences. The system supported the gradual visual escalation of the production, allowing the projection design to remain restrained for much of the performance before expanding dramatically during the play’s climactic moments.

Delivery

Universal Pixels worked alongside the production’s creative and technical teams to integrate the playback and projection systems within the wider staging environment. The result was a technical infrastructure capable of supporting a highly nuanced visual design, balancing reliability with the flexibility required by contemporary theatrical storytelling.

The Result

The production’s visual design played a critical role in reinforcing the themes of power, identity and resistance that underpin the play. For Universal Pixels, John Proctor Is the Villain demonstrated how projection and playback technology can support theatre that is emotionally charged and visually transformative.