★★★★★
Who knew feet could be so eye-opening? Who knew feet could be so educational? Who knew feet could be feminist?
I didn’t. Well that was until I saw A Play About Feet. Produced by the Find Your Feet Theatre Company and written by Josie Beer, the show follows the character of Her (Alix Lander) who is searching for direction and purpose. When she fails to find it and subsequently loses the people that care about her, she decides to monetise on the one thing she feels she has left—her feet. That’s right, in the midst of a life crisis, Her, decides to sell pictures of her feet on OnlyFans.
The premise of the show is highly relevant. It educates the audience on the creative freedoms that come with being an adult content creator whilst also exploring the ethical and moral conflicts that arise from being part of platforms such as OnlyFans.
A Play About Feet is refreshing in that it focuses on the downside of social media. It goes behind the “likes and love youse” we all want to receive when putting ourselves online and explores the harsher realities of social media platforms as well as contemporary womanhood whilst remaining soulful and witty. Issues such as stalking, depression as well as day to day insecurities are tackled with the respect, clarity and the clear intent that they need.
Not only is the concept wildly current but it is also incredibly executed. The scripts are wickedly sharp; the balance created between light and dark humour is impeccable which was welcoming given the subject matter. The dialogue really was flawless—showcasing Beer as a fierce writing talent.
The choreography throughout the show is particularly special. When not playing their respective characters, the rest of the cast are skillfully circling around Lander—cleverly representing Her’s subconscious through the art of lyrical movement. The cast are bare feet at all times—this was not only striking but particularly fitting too (for obvious reasons). The lighting aligns with the movement and storytelling; every transition is achieved with assurance, leaving you as an audience member completely at ease.
The cast are well rehearsed and give performances that are completely admirable, from start to finish—I couldn’t believe this was their debut Fringe performance, wow! Lander is outstanding when taking the lead; bouncing off of her co-stars with natural ease. Gus McQuillen hits all the right notes as Her’s cheating, typically millennial ex-boyfriend, Him. Katie Horobin gives this show the Fleabag factor, playing Her’s contentious but equally supportive sister; even supporting roles, such as Her’s BFF (Abi Cushing) and Tony aka FootLover666 (Jack Watts) land well with the audience.
If you’re a fan of shows such as Fleabag, Normal People and Crashing, then A Play About Feet is definitely the show for you. It’s a hilariously sharp show about reclaiming power and finding your own freedom. This is more than a play about feet—it’s a bold step forward for narratives centred around the modern woman. I can’t wait to see it go national…
A Play About Feet will run until 23 August at Venue 45 at theSpace @ Venue 45 as part of Edinburgh Fringe.
Words by Cory Gourley
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Thank you so much for your wonderful review, it genuinely means the world to our cast and crew. I’m now all the more excited to come back and direct another show!
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