REVIEW: The Fox at Here for Now Theatre challenges first impressions
“Like a fox in a henhouse.”
It’s an evocative idiom, one that suggests manipulation or exploitation, an untrustworthy figure taking advantage of a situation for their own personal gain.
It’s also an underlying theme behind The Fox at Stratford’s Here for Now Theatre, directed in its world premiere production by Kelli Fox.
An adaptation by Daniela Vlaskalic of D.H. Lawrence’s novella of the same name, the play follows two young women, Jill (Siobhan O’Malley) and Nellie (Allison Plamondon) in their attempts to maintain their independence by running a dilapidated farm. Reminders of the recently-ended First World War and the ongoing Spanish Flu epidemic are distant concerns to the women as they struggle to raise the livestock that will see them through the winter.
The arrival of Henry (Callan Potter) – a young soldier recently returned from the war, and the grandson of the farm’s previous owner – quickly upsets this small household’s equilibrium.
Extenuating circumstances force Henry to stay with the women, and what starts as a brief visit quickly becomes a longer-term arrangement. As the relationships between the characters grow and evolve, motives are called into question, leaving the audience to wonder who of the three protagonists is that metaphorical, conniving fox.
The Fox is a play of often-unanswered questions. We don’t know the true nature of the women’s relationship before Henry’s arrival, nor the motivations behind Henry’s eventual (seemingly) fast-burn romance with Nellie. This is in part due to Vlaskalic’s frequent use of time jumps (effectively signaled by the use of brief soundscapes) which leave the audience wondering what it is they aren’t seeing. And from the creative use of a (literal) Chekhov’s gun, to characters who become increasingly complex as the play goes on, the few answers we do get often subvert expectations.
Each of the production’s three actors bring performances which add to this intrigue. Plamondon compassionately portrays the hesitant warmth and vulnerability behind Nellie’s outward quiet stoicism, and O’Malley expertly layers the more complicated undertones beneath Jill’s cheery and polite exterior. By contrast, Henry’s steady characterization provides a strong counterpoint to this shifting, and Potter’s portrayal feels natural and grounded.
Here For Now’s venue serves the play’s rural Ontario setting particularly well. Darren Burkett’s set evokes a farmhouse kitchen and dining room, and during evening performances, the use of warm lighting and candles (lighting design by Sarah Lappano) becomes increasingly atmospheric as the sun sets, creating a space which is equal parts cozy and confining. Fox’s direction also makes excellent use of the space, with actors delivering lines from the tent’s open sides, exiting through the audience, and moving beyond the periphery of the tent. The fact that the audience is facing towards the tent’s open ‘backstage’ and the farmer’s field beyond only heightens the immersion.
Vlaskalic’s The Fox is the latest of several adaptations of Lawrence’s novella, including a 1967 film directed by Mark Rydell, and a 2008 play by Allan Miller. Vlaskalic’s adaptation is unique among these previous iterations in its voice and context – a female, Ontario-based playwright has transposed the action of a male, English writer’s story about two women from England to Ontario – but I would have liked to have seen Here For Now more specifically recognize Lawrence’s original work.
While Vlaskalic’s personal website notes that the play is an adaptation, Here For Now – aside from a brief nod in Fox’s director’s note – does not. This is a play that’s fascinating to compare against its source material, raising questions of how the Canadian context changes the nuances of the story, how lines of dialogue resonate differently when spoken aloud rather than read, and how adjustments to plot beats shift audience perceptions of character (those familiar with Lawrence’s story will still be surprised by the ending of Vlaskalic’s version).
At its core, The Fox questions what it means to have autonomy, and shows that labeling any one person as an antagonist is often a more challenging proposition than it seems. It’s an intriguing premise, well-executed by the team at Here For Now, and one which shows the potential of even small adjustments in the process of adaptation to uncover new meanings within old stories.
The Fox runs at Here for Now Theatre until September 9. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Charlotte Lilley
Charlotte Lilley (she/her) is a writer currently living in Hamilton, ON. She holds a BA from Western University, a Master of Applied Literary Arts from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell), and currently studies at McMaster University. Her writing has appeared in Horseshoe Literary Magazine, Prelude (Calgary Phil), the Stratford Beacon Herald, and elsewhere. Charlotte’s writing and academic work explores speculative fiction, sustainability, and hope. www.charlottemlilley.com
LEARN MORE
iPhoto caption: Fiona Mongillo in 'Reproduktion.' Photo by Ann Baggley.
REVIEW: Here For Now’s well-acted Reproduktion attempts to tackle too much
Amy Rutherford’s world premiere script is ambitious and the material it covers is complex — but the narrative feels disjointed.
iPhoto caption: Jessica B. Hill in 'Pandora.' Photo by Ann Baggley.
REVIEW: Jessica B. Hill’s Pandora thinks outside the box at Stratford’s Here For Now Theatre
With its assemblage of theatrical meta-commentary, mythical allusions, science facts, and weasels, at face value Pandora resembles random chaos. But weave those parts together and a story emerges that is equal parts moving and fascinating.
iPhoto caption: Richard Alan Campbell and Mary Long in 'The Time Capsule.' Photo by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: Theatre Aquarius’ The Time Capsule pays lighthearted tribute to Hamilton, Ontario
As the evening progresses and the characters begin open up and butt heads, the play becomes a comedic yet heartfelt reflection on memory. We learn that the past is never as far away as we might think, that a moment forgettable for one person could be life-changing for another, and that it takes more than just a Hamilton Ticats pin or a Tim Hortons cup to memorialize a city and its people.
iPhoto caption: Photo of Staircase Theatre by Aleena Faisal.
REVIEW: Hamilton Fringe Festival 2025
For this set of reviews, I’ve tried to capture the breadth of this year’s theatrical offerings, visiting nearly half of the festival's venues to take in productions ranging from new dramas and musical comedies to experimental collaborations with technology.
iPhoto caption: Jeff Lillico as Ralph with Yoshie Bancroft as Mitsue in 'Forgiveness.' Photo by David Hou.
REVIEW: Stratford Festival’s Forgiveness tells a deeply personal story on a sprawling scale
Presented in an increasingly tense political moment, Forgiveness resonates on a level that is part reflection, part warning.
iPhoto caption: Braeden Etienne in 'Believe In It Alive.' Photo courtesy of Treading Theatre Festival, taken by Phi Doan.
Running at the Schneider Haus National Historic Site in downtown Kitchener, the festival features five site-responsive productions in intimate and unconventional performance spaces.
Comments