REVIEW: Foosball starts strong.

Positive elements, but the piece is still finding itself.

Molly Serenduke

Foosball starts off excellently. This gritty world is dangerous and menacing. The play's start is surprising and rough, brought to life by Sean Czarnecki's snappy, strong dialogue.

The depiction of a depressed father/son relationship has real truth and humanity. Claire Sieber's direction works well and the intimate Arts on Site space is used nicely. The characters are all captivating and have depth.

It's a very strong start.

And interesting things keep happening, holding your attention. The acting is great across the board. Mia Vallet and Will Ehren are especially excellent, playing complicated characters with ease. There are lots of interesting and engaging elements all working together well to create fear, tension and uncertainty.

Forrest Malloy, Will Ehren, and Mia Vallet. Photo: Jacqueline Silberbush

What starts happening, though, is that the play is a bit predictable, and a bit long. There are moments down the stretch, confessions and reveals, that bring the audience in close, but the grip of the play loosens at times. Towards the end, the piece provides answers to questions, but are they really the answers the play needs? The foosball game is a simple, straight-forward idea, but it's an example of a mechanism that takes up quite a bit of space without offering too much in return.

Foosball is a solid piece of writing, presented by a talented group of artists. Mia Vallet in particular is impressive in her control and power. It's a scene stealing portrayal within a great cast.

It's a play with grit. It follows in a tradition of scary, naturalistic plays, but it hasn't truly found its own identity yet.