by Dawn King (2011, Prize Winner)
Finborough Theatre
Directed by Blanche McIntyre. Designed by James Perkins, Lighting by Gary Bowman, Sound by George Dennis. Cast: Kirsty Besterman. Tom Byam Shaw. Becci Gemmell. Gyuri Sarossy
“You, Foxfinder, must be clean in body and mind. Always remember that the smallest fault in your character could become a crack into which the beast may insinuate himself, like water awaiting the freeze that will smash the stone apart.”
William Bloor, a Foxfinder, arrives at Sam and Judith Covey’s farm to investigate a suspected contamination. What follows will change the course of all their lives, forever. Foxfinder is a gripping, unsettling and darkly comic exploration of belief, desire and responsibility.
Playwright Dawn King was one of ten writers from across the UK chosen for the BBC Writersroom 10 scheme, a prestigious mentoring and support programme. Through this she is developing a new play with West Yorkshire Playhouse. She is also currently writing My One and Only, an afternoon play for BBC radio 4. Her episode of horror series The Man in Black will broadcast on BBC radio 4 Extra later this year. Previous radio work includes afternoon play 28 and episodes for the first and second series of science fiction drama Planet B for BBC radio 7. She was made co-series leader for the third series. Her recent theatre work includes Water Sculptures/Zoo double bill (Union Theatre), Face Value (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough), The Bitches’ Ball (Hoxton Hall), National Tour and Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh) and Doghead Boy and Sharkmouth Go To Ikea (The Junction, Cambridge). Previous work has received performances, workshops and readings at; Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Theatre503, Arcola, Old Red Lion, Etcetera Theatre, The Latitude Festival, Resonance FM and The Union Theatre. Dawn was a member of both the Soho Theatre and Royal Court Theatre Young Writers’ Programmes and holds an MA distinction in Writing for Performance from Goldsmiths University, London. www.dawn-king.com
Winner, 2011 Off West Award for Most Promising Playwright
Winner, 2011 Critics’ Circle Most Promising Newcomer Award for director Blanche McIntyre
Nominated for the OffWestEnd Awards for 2011 for Best New Play and Best Male Performance
One of The Independent’s Top Five Plays of 2011
★★★★★ Five Stars WhatsOnStage
★★★★ Four Stars The Telegraph
★★★★ Four Stars The Guardian
★★★★ Four Stars The Independent
★★★★ Four Stars Evening Standard
★★★★ Four Stars Time Out
“Shines out like a beacon…The most compelling new work I have seen this year.” Michael Billington, The Guardian
“Spell-binding…absolute imaginative authority…that will leave this play lodged in one’s mind forever.” Paul Taylor, The Independent
“A bold and often brilliant stab at something new.” Dominic Maxwell, The Times
“Rich, rare and deeply unsettling…a thrillingly original piece of writing.” Sam Marlowe, Time Out