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abbszabbs 's review for:
John Proctor is the Villain
by Kimberly Belflower
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
SO GOOD!! Extremely thought-provoking, relevant, and complex. This is my first Kimberly Belflower play and I love her writing style. The story moves in a way that you don’t want to put it down until the very end. Also explores its theme in a way that doesn’t come off as preachy and is instead very conversation and authentic. It is totally one of those plays that has you talking about it for days after.
Also, I absolutely loved how the kids are written. As someone in their early 20s and has worked with different ages of high schoolers, the dialogue and behavior is so well portrayed. I feel like some writers struggle with giving kids and teens an authentic voice, and I didn’t feel that once with Belflower’s writing.
Also, I absolutely loved how the kids are written. As someone in their early 20s and has worked with different ages of high schoolers, the dialogue and behavior is so well portrayed. I feel like some writers struggle with giving kids and teens an authentic voice, and I didn’t feel that once with Belflower’s writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Minor: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts
While the majority of the characters are around 16, this is not a play meant to be put on for an actual high school production.
The play takes place in 2018, 2 years after the explosion of the Me Too movement in 2016. With that said, if you are not in a place where you can read about sexual assault, harassment, and adult/minor relations, it’s probably best to skip this read. While nothing is physically expressed, it is a core part of the storyline and is consistently talked about in depth and with no filtering.
Visually, there is only one physical moment onstage where there is non-consensual contact: Lee kisses Raelynn, both high schoolers, without her consent in Scene 3. Lee is also a generally aggressive character, although we only see this at its highest in Scene 3.