COYOTE ON A FENCE

 

By Bruce Graham

Royal Exchange Theatre Studio

Duchess Theatre, West End

 

Designer: Matt Atwood

Lighting Designer: Aideen Malone

Composer: Simon Slater

 

Cast:  Ben Cross, Alex Ferns,

Eric Loren, Jo Martin

 

Reviews:

 

Set against a series of unseen executions, this is a slippery little piece that

- as it unravels issues of crime and punishment, innocence and guilt,

justice and injustice - ends up not only challenging its characters' certainties

but those of the audience as well. In a lesser production,

the play's faults would seem more glaring, but Sarah Esdaile's is blisteringly good

- full of a very un-English coiled energy and making clever use of the studio space.

Great performances all round from Jo Martin as the prison guard,

Eric Loren as the journalist, Ben Cross as John Brennan and

Alex Ferns as the childlike Bobby, a man who is

appalling and appealing in equal measure.

Guardian ****

 

In Sarah Esdaile's subtle production, the human frailties of people 

accused of the worst crimes, spending the rest of their lives

under the shadow of a death warrant, come across with immense clarity.

Independent ****

 

The director of this UK premiere, Sarah Esdaile,

probably has no more experience of the reality of America’s death factories

than I do, but any doubts are blown away by Cross’ angry articulacy

and Ferns’ discreetly manic performance, which tops Jack Nicholson

in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Sunday Times ****

 

Bruce Graham's prison drama is ignited in Sarah Esdaile's

thoughtful production, by two marvellous performances

from Ben Cross and Alex Ferns

Metro ****

 

...a challenging but compulsively watchable production that proves

the truth of the adage that there are at least two sides to every story.

Utterly engrossing, profound and often very funny.

Manchester Evening News