• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Tickets

Ed Fringe 2016: Foxtrot at Paradise in the Vault

August 19, 2016 by Katie Smith Leave a Comment

Review of: Foxtrot
Produced by:
Felix Culpa Theatre Productions

Reviewed by: Katie Smith
Rating:
3
On August 19, 2016
Last modified:August 19, 2016

Summary:

A disconnected series of scenes exploring the case of a missing young woman.

More Details

A young girl is missing. Or, as becomes possible as Felix Culpa Theatre Production’s Foxtrot progresses, several girls, seemingly unrelated by circumstance but interconnected via theme. Though a series of short, jarring vignettes, Anthony Maskell’s script drops us in and out of the lives of those directly or indirectly affected by missing persons cases in the blink of an eye.

The script’s form is great fun to watch in practice; it actively encourages the audience to attempt to piece together the stories, only for the dots not to connect. There are ambiguous links between different scenes, but because different actors take on what seems to be the same role, the audience are kept guessing. The show is, in theory, about one girl’s disappearance, but the fragmented and contradicting nature of the scenes and multi-roling suggests that this could be any number of missing girls, and any number of predictable attitudes towards their disappearances.

Perhaps the script is a little too vague – it becomes difficult to maintain care for the characters presented when they are next to impossible to locate elsewhere in the play. The writing is at its strongest when it gets to the heart of the issue. There are some scenes that feel vital to the message of the play (a scene on the train that portrays our often flippantly judgmental attitudes to those in the media is a particular highlight.) Equally, there are some fairly clichéd, naturalistic scenes that feel like they could be easily scrapped from the play. It needs tightening up and refining, but Foxtrot is exciting in its attempts to explore issues in a disjointed way.

The production is at its best when at its most stylised. Those actors who embrace the often stereotypical or larger-than-life nature of their characters in their acting style are those who excel. Marcus Knight-Adams is constantly energetic and brings a refreshing mixture of comedy and darkness to his characters.

There are touching, more realistic performances from the female characters in the play – Hannah Marsters, Mil Coen, and Emilie Finch all handle difficult subjects with great sensitivity and confidence. However, occasionally the play suffers in these better behaved scenes, as the slick movement work and most colourful characters from parallel vignettes overshadow them. The movement work itself is meticulous, and satisfyingly well-rehearsed. The ensemble doesn’t slip up, and, when the movement is used because it is necessary, it adds visual texture to the script.

It feels difficult to figure out what the company are trying to say with Foxtrot; the show flits so quickly from theme to theme that it never really gets round to making a firm enough point about any of them. There are some engaging performances and a consistent aesthetic to the show, but Foxtrot needs to decide its point of view and stick to it before it can achieve its full potential.

Author: Katie Smith

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Edinburgh Fringe 2016

Join the discussion Cancel reply

INTERVIEW / Plain Heroines talks SCRATCHES at VAULT Festival 2023

We spoke to director Gabrielle Bird from Plain Heroines about taking part in VAULT Festival 2023 with their show SCRATCHES   Tell us [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Anthony Clark on SHE

Anthony Clark is the writer of SHE, a new show interweaving the stories of 14 different women in their twenties, [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Thick ‘n’ Fast talks General Secretary at VAULT Festival

We spoke to co-writers and performers Cassie Symes and Georgina Thomas about taking part in VAULT Festival 2023 with their [Read More]

NEWS / Too Much World at Once tour announced

Set against a backdrop of the climate crisis, the debut from Papatango shortlisted writer Billie Collins is a lyrical coming [Read More]

INTERVIEW / Ian Nicholas talks The Elephant Song

Ian Nicholas is a theatre producer, running OnBook Theatre alongside director Jason Moore. He talks here about their next production, [Read More]

Top Posts & Pages

  • Hotel- a new play by Polly Stenham at The Shed, National Theatre
  • Spotlight On: The London Clown Festival
  • London Clown Festival Coming to, well, London
  • Willy Hudson on Welcome Home
  • Athena Stevens on seeing what you’ve turned a blind eye to
  • Is this the real location of Ambridge?
  • Southwold Summer Theatre Season 2022
  • Interview with Theresa Heskins, co-director of "Astley's Astounding Adventures"
  • Narnia star Georgie Henley to star in new Philip Ridley monologues at Southwark Playhouse
  • Spotlight On: Mischief Theatre
  • Katie Smith
    Contributor

  • August 19th, 2016
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail

    Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Blue Pie Media

     

    Loading Comments...
     

      Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

      Email sent!