Overview

'Corner an animal, make him feel scared, that's when he's dangerous. Tell a creature he's a beast, one day he'll bite back.' A.K. wants to escape the Island. Live a good life. But the sea draws him back… A dreadful secret has come to light, and A.K. must return to his hometown to confront the shadows of his childhood and right a terrible wrong. But what about the other version of himself, the one who lives inside his ribcage? An exhilarating fever dream, Foal is a revenge thriller set in the era of the Sony Walkman; a lyrical, urgent play for one actor about masculinity, compassion and retribution. Written by Titas Halder, it was first performed by Amar Chadha-Patel at the Finborough Theatre, London, in 2026, directed by Annie Kershaw.

Full Product Details

9781839045844

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Reviews

'A striking one-man play about a young British Asian man struggling to find himself and fracturing in two... there's a rawness to the writing – both tender and raging, restrained and billowingly lyrical – that feels quite special... ripples with doubt, tenderness and brittle rage' * Guardian * 'A tense monodrama about the shattering effects of everyday racism and violence' * The Stage * 'Captivating and compelling... Halder creates a full and sympathetic character... his writing deftly demonstrates the gradual fracturing of A.K.'s sense of self and grasp on reality... extraordinary theatre' * Broadway World * 'Astute and resonant... a play that is incredibly moving and important, and is sure to have a strong future' * Theatre & Tonic * 'Tense, intimate and often unsettling... a thrilling piece of theatre' * LondonTheatre1 * 'Dramatic and heartbreaking... Halder's writing is striking and feels real... a play that punches above its weight; it is challenging to watch, compelling throughout, and deserving of a much wider audience' * All That Dazzles * 'An exceptional piece of theatre... powerful, painful and fantastically current... Foal dives into serious, thought-provoking contemporary topics and delivers tremendously' * Reviews Hub *

Author Information

Titas Halder is a writer and theatre director. He is Associate Artistic Director at the Donmar Warehouse, and also performs and records as musical artist Titas and the Fox. As a writer, his plays include Foal (Finborough Theatre, London, 2026); Replica (National Theatre Connections and Länk Festival Riksteatern, Stockholm); Escape the Scaffold (Theatre503 and The Other Room, Cardiff) and Run the Beast Down (Finborough Theatre, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, and Strawdog Theatre, Chicago, 2017). He was nominated for Best Writer at the inaugural The Stage Debut Awards. His play The Basement was a finalist for the Verity Bargate Award.  As a director, his work includes The Lemon Table, co-directed with Michael Grandage (Salisbury Playhouse, and UK tour), A Boy and His Soul (Kiln Theatre) and The Dance of Death (Donmar Trafalgar).  Author photo by Ash Willison

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