Cockfosters
Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Turbine Theatre, London
Cast: Amy Bianchi, Beth Lilly, Harry Bradley, Kit Loyd, Natasha Vasandani. Sam Rees-Baylis and Ed Bowles

Strangers James and Tori meet on the Piccadilly Line at Heathrow and travel across London on a journey they'll never forget. A “screamingly funny” off-the-rails comedy about the London Underground, Cockfosters is a brilliantly surreal take on the tube journey we know and love (subject to delays) that will change your commute forever. So top up your Oyster, mind the gap and hop aboard the tube trip of a lifetime to Cockfosters. Ever been?

Cockfosters is a fever dream of flashbacks both to and from the future, making for a raucously relatable hour of theatre. We meet strangers James (Sam Rees-Baylis) and Tori (Beth Lilly) on the Piccadilly Line and follow their journey across London while they strive to find…well, we’re not too sure actually. 

The small cast each play multiple characters throughout, who are all very impressive and entertaining. Harry Bradley was a definite highlight, navigating his variety of roles with ease and professionalism, eliciting constant cackles from all in the audience. His stage time also started earlier than others, with a live travel announcement made in the foyer prior to staff opening the auditorium where we were aggressively reminded to mind the doors (in true tube fashion)! 

Natasha Vasandani seemed to be a weak link in this team, as she had possibly the best material but seemed too enthusiastic to portray it comically. It was the epitome of ‘how much is too much?’ and a clear example of where ‘less is more’ should have been employed instead. Stale delivery is often the enemy of a great script, however on this occasion it was the complete opposite issue - with everything being rather over the top with very few moments of rest or relief. 

With no interval either, our only break from the non-stop action was a station-style quiz in the second half of the show, which was hilarious and very well done. It would be nice to see this production fleshed out further - specifically with 2 separate acts and more musical numbers. The use of music for dramatic effect was fantastic, and congratulations must certainly go to the sound department for the smooth running of that service (*wink*). Minimal opportunities to sing and dance did, however, mean that certain actors felt underutilised. One of whom was the choreographer herself, Amy Bianchi, who shone in her moments of spotlight, but felt like she had more to offer in terms of physicality - let's hope there’s a platform for this next time!

This is not the only limitation, as the book by Tom Woffenden & Hamish Clayton felt slightly restricted and predictable at times - as if it had been devised as a humorous improvisation piece and then scripted. Despite this minute barrier, it was overall incredibly funny and clever - with lots of references squeezed into a short space of time. 

Running at the Turbine Theatre until the end of the month, you MUST book tickets if your ribs need tickling - and the good news is there’s a tube station right around the corner! 

You can book tickets to see Cockfosters, here.

Review by Katie (she/her)

**photo credit: Marshall Stay**