Iwan Rheon and Heida Reed star in the West End premiere of Dawn King’s thriller now playing at the Ambassadors Theatre. Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews…
The Telegraph: ★★ “King’s play – being developed into a film – must presumably, in its first incarnation, have achieved plausibility despite its far-fetched trappings.”
The Upcoming: ★★★★ “A well-constructed, entertaining, intriguing, dark thriller, Foxfinder is also a thought-provoking parable that confronts significant political and social dysfunctions, raising important questions.”
The Stage: ★★★ “And even in a production this tame, Foxfinder remains a work of dark dazzle.”
LondonTheatre.co.uk: ★★★ “Stilted performances and ineffectual directorial choices sadly do not do the script justice and while the ideas provoked remain fresh in my mind, the acting does not.”
Exeunt Magazine: “Maybe, for all its timeliness, Foxfinder now feels too close to home for its neat resolution to land while the world outside is still being battered by the winds of change.”
British Theatre.com: ★★ “As it is, the actors are left with the almost insuperable difficulty of trying to forge links between the slender parts of this tale. They’re all familiar faces from the telly, which will help them connect with a wider audience, but is that sufficient to hold it all together?”
West End Wilma: ★★★ “But whilst it is such a good idea, the execution in this production, however, falls just a little short.”
British Theatre Guide: “There may well be hidden allegorical depths to this piece and maybe even a nod towards Arthur Miller and The Crucible but, despite the plaudits, anyone who fails to find them and is not addicted to low-budget TV or film thrillers might well find this play hard work.”
Attitude.co.uk: ★★★ “Although lacking in depth this is an entertaining production. A world that is chillingly not hard to imagine and certainly draws more than a few uncomfortable parallels to our own.”
Sardines Magazine: ★ “It all feels a little low-budget to me. Gary McCann’s design of a bleak and gloomy farmhouse, entwined with woodland has potential, but doesn’t give the production much versatility, so much so that Sarah Box’s neighbouring house is virtually identical to the Covey’s, with the exception of a cunning tablecloth and a child’s painting.”
Mature Times: “Foxfinder is being adapted for the screen. Its West End revival should help to get the film the financial backing it presumably needs.”
The Reviews Hub: ★★★ “King’s writing is high on overt symbolism, but low on humour and thrills. There is neither enough depth nor warmth to any of the characters, which leads to Rachel O’Riordan’s taut production often feeling more chilly than chilling.”
Foxfinder continues to play at the Ambassadors Theatre until the 5th January 2019. To book tickets click here.
