A theatre nestled in the arches under a railway bridge seems an appropriate home for a show about a train journey, and ‘Cockfosters’ at The Turbine Theatre is exactly that. James (Sam Rees-Baylis) and Tori (Beth Lilly) board the Piccadilly Line at Heathrow for the long 38 stop journey to Cockfosters, and along the way meet a cacophony of fellow travellers, from man-spreaders, buskers and partygoers to sports fans and tourists. This hilarious Rom-Com has had a number of sell-out runs and it’s easy to see why with its larger-than-life comedy, multi-role performances, songs and relatability in this warm-hearted celebration of the London underground.
Beth Lilly’s Tori is bubbly and confident, having just returned from a big holiday in Mexico whilst she tries to discover her family secret and discover why she was always told that she has ‘trains in her veins’. James, played by Sam Rees-Baylis) is also returning from holiday, but he’s not having such a good time. He lost his luggage, broke his phone and his partner’s left him, and now he’s on the dreaded underground. But at least his chance meeting with Tori is a silver lining.
As they travel, Tori and James are met with all sorts. James’ man-spreading obnoxious friend Richard (Kit Loyd), American tourists who can’t work out how the tube works or how to pronounce the various stops (Harry Bradley and Natasha Vasandani), a bride to be on her hen do (Amy Bianchi) and a busker who just loves the underground (Ed Bowles), to name but a few. Lilly’s Tori loves it all, her excitement infectious to both James and the audience, whilst Ree’s Baylis’ James is just trying to take it all in.
Throughout, various elements of tube travel are both ridiculed and celebrated from the loss of paper tickets in favour of the Oyster card to the adverts featured on board including a hilarious reference to ‘Poetry on the Tube’ which sees James speak to Shakespeare himself. Songs are also brilliantly used to add to the action.
Some of the biggest laughs in the 60-minute run time go to Harry Bradley as he bounces from character to character, playing a total of 14 all together. Even before the official start of the performance, he has the audience in fits of giggles armed with a megaphone announcing delays on the Piccadilly line before becoming various characters including an overzealous football fan, a paper ticket devotee and one of the creators of the underground itself. Natasha Vasandani also impresses with her skills in audience interaction as she hosts a mid-show tube themed quiz for the audience and delights with a monologue about the realisation of aging as she plays a character offered a seat on the train.
This brilliantly funny and clever little show has a sweet and charming love story at its heart, decorated with hilarious moments that anyone who travels on the tube will be able to relate to. Be that wishing that one person would learn what headphones are, avoiding the football fans, wondering who came up with those strange adverts or deciding whether or not talking to a stranger on the tube is a good idea. After all, anything could happen.
Cockfosters runs at the Turbine Theatre Battersea until 31st August, but hopefully this journey will not terminate here.
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