Foolish Review

August 21, 2025

Foolish Review

August 21st 2025

It’s an unfortunate thing when you get 10 minutes into a play and already realise what the problem is. And when that problem is the script, there’s not much that can be done by the actors, direction, or the set to save it.

Foolish, performed at The Courtyard Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe, had promise. I liked the set. I liked the actors. I liked the premise. But from the off, I wasn’t invested. And that made this play that could have left a lasting impact, simply fizzle out.

“The movement around the stage was smooth and dynamic”

Foolish follows Kiera (Kate-Lynn Du Plessis), a struggling writer, and Xander (Kelvin Ade), a famous pop star, as they form a relationship which is soon turned on its head by the demands of fame.

The show opens with the pair stumbling onto the stage at a party, but already the dialogue feels stilted. There’s nothing natural about their rapport and, despite them both being physically beautiful, you couldn’t feel any chemistry between them.

Immediately after this, we’re transported ahead in time, where the pair are in a relationship and already being criticised by Xander’s mother and manager – Olivia (Madeleine Hutchines). We never even had the chance to watch a solid bond form between the pair, before it’s all being threatened to fall apart. We’re not invested in the relationship, and so, as the following events unfold, we don’t really care.

It’s a shame, as I think exploring the idea of a pop star’s girlfriend, who is often hated by fans for no real reason, is an interesting subject. Instead, this 50-minute play was very surface level. It rushes through plot points and lacks any lighthearted moments to keep the audience engaged. There is also no real character growth, or even proper depth to them; there were lots of throw away comments that never got picked up on again, like the fact that Xander was adopted. This script needs to be taken back to basics: more ‘show’, less ‘tell’.

Nonetheless, I loved the transitions between the scenes and thought the direction of the play by Monica Cox was fantastic. The movement around the stage was smooth and dynamic, and in some ways, those transitions conveyed more to us as an audience than the dialogue was trying to. I also felt that Kevlin Ade was incredibly compelling to watch and Madeleine Hutchins also brought an assertiveness to the stage that was needed. It’s just unfortunate that none of this could make up for a poor script.

Ultimately, Foolish lacks the narrative exposition needed to make this play impactful. It has potential, but needs revisions before taking to the stage again.