Titas Halder's striking new one-man play, Foal, tells the story of A.K., a young British Asian man growing up in Britain and facing increasingly brutal incidents of racism. From bullying in the playground to casual jibes at work, and parents who no longer feel safe in their family home, the play centres on a funny and sensitive man struggling to find himself and fracturing in two.
An Arresting but Flawed Production
This is a strangely arresting production, though it has some issues. The play offers only scraps of detail, leaving a fairly specific narrative hidden beneath the surface. A.K. spends his youth on an unnamed “Island” and later moves to the city, living in a dingy flat on Seven Sisters Road. Fleeting references to Walkmans in his childhood and an allusion to the murder of Jean Charles de Menezes suggest a timeline, but the writing wavers between a feverish nightmare and something more grounded and political.
Glimpses of Significant Figures
We see tantalising flashes of the important people in A.K.'s life: his Indian immigrant parents, childhood sweetheart Katie, and local bully Max. His father, harassed by patients, feels not angry but sad; his loving mother offers both heartfelt advice and malice; and girlfriend Katie transforms A.K.'s life before disappearing for good after a low-key argument. All these characters are interesting, yet slightly undercooked, making for a sometimes frustrating watch.
Raw Writing and Moody Direction
Despite this, the rawness of the writing—tender and raging, restrained and billowingly lyrical—feels quite special. Annie Kershaw's moody direction is eerie and engaging, while Rajiv Pattani's clever lighting design transforms the mood and location in an instant, matching the play's flittering settings.
Amar Chadha-Patel's Stage Debut
In his stage debut, Amar Chadha-Patel delivers a performance of lovely restraint and ease, despite the punishing 90-minute demands. Gently joking with the audience and constantly undermining himself, his character ripples with doubt, tenderness, and brittle rage. He is a man on the edge, one who might just “contain symphonies”—if only he could find his place in a world stacked against him.
Foal runs at the Finborough Theatre, London, until 30 May.
