FOXFINDER streamed from New Phoenix Theatre lets us peek over an edge that is both too familiar and too creepy – Buffalo Rising

THE BASICS: Presented via Vimeo by the New Phoenix Theater, where it was filmed, there are four more showings of FOXFINDER by British playwright Dawn King, directed by Mike Doben: Friday and Saturday, May 1, 2 and May 8 and 9. Unlike some offerings, viewing is limited to the day selected with each ticket sold just for the day of the performance. The link is usually sent around 5 pm and you have only that evening to watch the performance, as in a regular run. This day of system, not my favorite, was stipulated in the contract from the plays London agent. Runtime: Well under 2 hours.

THUMBNAIL SKETCH: To prevent the imminent demise of Englands farming economy, the government has dispatched Foxfinders to find and remove the designated cause of the problem foxes. Dont laugh. In fact, the apparent (to us) ridiculousness of this theory is what gives this play its power. What are the foxes in your life?

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: Englands economy is suffering, farms are flooded, quotas are down, and the population could starve if the problem isnt identified and resolved. Now the government has fingered one group of outsiders, in this case, foxes, as the culprit. Weve seen this before, demonizing the other, whether it was Jews in Germany in the thirties, or the Japanese in America in the forties, or communists Hollywood in the fifties, right up until today when it could be caravans of criminals coming up from Central America, Chinese or other Asian-Americans responsible for Covid-19, Democrats stealing the 2020 election, or socialists, or the political correctness police, or cancel culture, or Planned Parenthood. Or, it might be your neighbor, the guy who helped you with that home-repair project, but who had a Vote Trump sign on his lawn. Or was it the other neighbor with the Kamala Harris sign on her lawn?

And so, in order to prevent the disaster that could be on the horizon, trained Foxfinders are dispatched to ferret out these, up to now, invisible threats. The very absence of evidence (nobody has seen a fox nor heard a fox nor seen fox tracks neither the farmers, nor the Foxfinders themselves) is simply proof of the foxs cunning and subtle ways. In fact, denying that foxes are on your farm simply means that you are a collaborator and that they have you under their power.

And if you are going to be under anyones power, it damn well better be the government, which knows whats best for you, even if your farm has been in your family for generations.

As the Buffalo Springfield song For What Its Worth put it: Paranoia strikes deep / Into your heart it will creep. / It starts when youre always afraid. / Step out of line, the man comes, and takes you away.

And so we meet Judith and Samuel Covey (Stefanie Warnick and Rick Lattimer) who have failed to meet harvest targets and now, following up on an ominous letter, must feed and house a trained Foxfinder, William Bloor (Zach Thomas) as he starts his investigation. As Judith tries to discuss the situation with her husband, Samuel starts behaving more and more like a Q-Anon believer himself. Will her sympathetic neighbor Sarah (Rachel Buchanan) provide some clarity, or will she too succumb to the paranoia?

This is not new territory for Dawn King, who has adapted Aldous Huxleys BRAVE NEW WORLD for the stage, created what was described as an immersive rave called DYSTOPIA987, and has a play call CIPHERS described by The Guardian as An ingenious thriller about spies, surveillance and doubleness.

This project seems to have been a labor of love on the part of The New Phoenix Theatre. The sets are believable, the costumes as well, and the lighting and especially the background ambiance are spot on. The direction is sure and the camera shots are effective, unlike with some other plays on video where the camera seems to move simply because the director doesnt trust the actors nor us in the audience to stay focused. Mike Doben respects his cast and his audience.

Without a doubt, I wanted to watch this because of actor Rick Lattimer, whom I often think of as Buffalos answer to Bruce Dern, or Christopher Walken or perhaps Steve Buscemi. Rick takes on the weird edgy roles and makes them his own and has appeared in a number of dystopian plays including FARENHEIT 451, also directed by Mike Doben or SHE KILLS MONSTERS, or THE KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN.

He never overplays his roles. He embodies them.

I was also interested in seeing Stefanie Warnick who usually works with The Brazen Faced Varlets theater company but not always, and was kick-ass in SHE KILLS MONSTERS and, like Lattimer in this play, doesnt over do it. 100% believable.

Newer to me was Zach Thomas as the Foxfinder last seen in MERCURY FUR, another dystopian / futuristic play directed by Mike Doben.

And Rachel Buchanan, last seen by me in FARENHEIT 451 (Doben directed) was, as were the others on stage (or on my TV screen), equally believable.

I gave it a Four Buffalo rating, and not a Five, simply because streamed plays just dont have the impact of live theater. For just one example, Stefanie Warnick is not only tall but she is a fight coordinator and has a strong physical presence on stage. Actor Zachary Thomas is much smaller and, as the script calls for, is extremely thin. Yet his character is able to physically overpower hers using only veiled threats. That would be much, much creepier on stage.

Before you say thats unfair, the theaters are doing the best they can in this unusual time of the pandemic let me say this: We have tried to watch broadcasts of Shakespeare plays which were filmed at The Stratford Festival, a place which, if youre there, is pretty much the gold standard for North American Shakespeare productions. We have tried to watch the very productions which we saw just live awhile ago, which, at the time when we were there, were completely enthralling. On our television? Meh is a good word.

Its not just theater. I was recently part of a very small, socially distanced test audience for some live classical music presented by a group which I had been watching via live YouTube streams.So I could actually do an A/B comparison. It wasnt just a thought experiment.The effect of live was much, much, much more emotionally compelling than I expected it to be. We all say Cant wait until were all together again in the theater but Im promising you that its going to be really, really good.

However, in the meantime, support your local theater, even if you cant be there right now.

*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)

ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.

TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person whos happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.

THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you dont go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.

FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.

FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superba rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, youd be a fool to miss it!

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FOXFINDER streamed from New Phoenix Theatre lets us peek over an edge that is both too familiar and too creepy - Buffalo Rising