The Crucible gender-switched revival at the Yard Theatre casting announced

Casting has been announced for the Yard Theatre's upcoming revival of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.

The show marks the first time the east London venue has revived an existing play since its opening in 2011, and will see a woman take on the lead role of John Proctor in a professional UK staging for the first time.

Playing Proctor in the production will be Caoilfhionn Dunne (The Bisexual, Our Country's Good). She will be joined by Jacob James Beswick (People, Places and Things, Peter Pan), Nina Cassells (making her professional debut), Emma D'Arcy (Against, Wanderlust), Sophie Duval (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Watsons), Sorcha Groundsell (The Innocents, Stain), Jack Holden (Ink, The Madness of King George III), Syrus Lowe (The Inheritance, Saint Joan) and Lucy Vandi (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Guys and Dolls).

The Crucible will be directed by The Yard's artistic director Jay Miller and has set design by Cecile Tremolieres, lighting by Jess Bernberg, sound design by Josh Anio Grigg, composition by Jonah Brody, casting by Sophie Parrott and assistant direction by Charlotte Fraser.

Discussing the direction for the piece and its relevance in 2019, Miller said: "The Crucible creates a world torn apart, a community that, driven by fear, becomes isolated individuals, scared, and desperate to protect themselves. This incredible ensemble will bring Miller's classic text crashing into Hackney Wick in 2019. The Crucible speaks to our current civic discourse as good as, if not better than any play of the last 100 years – this is vital theatre for our times."

It runs from 2 April to 11 May with previews from 27 March.