Review: TIFO by Kieran Dee / Moon Loaf at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre 1-5 February 2022.

“TIFO is in the category of important plays, it speaks up on issues of today but does so in an endearing and human way.” ★★★★

Lion and Unicorn Associate artists, Moon Loaf, bring TIFO to the theatre, a play about Kerry Matthews; a white, English, Chelsea fan and his experience surrounding footballers ‘taking the knee’.

For a white creative to write and tell a story about racism in football or the racism in British culture in general, was always going to be risk, but a risk that paid off. TIFO is told from differentiating perspectives and is authentically true. The play isn’t gloomy in the slightest, it is bold, funny and eye opening.  

Kieran Dee performs solo for 60 minutes and is faultless and precise when transforming between the different characters that Kerry meets on his journey.  We see Kerry go through the motions, the performance from Dee is subtle- which works most of the time but we can’t help wishing to see a little bit more emotion in the high stakes’ moments. One character in the story is played by another actor via voiceover, we are distracted by this, trying to figure out why Dee doesn’t voice this character like the many others, it does divert our attention away from what really matters, the text. The text flows well in the first half, a clear journey for Kerry and multiple humorous interactions. Toward the end the characters journey becomes a little foggy and we are unsure of the timeline, perhaps an intent to mirror Kerrys’ fragmented or panicked state of mind, but this could have been realised more effectively

Director Grace Millie allows Dee to use the full space of the Lion and Unicorn stage, which for a venue of its size, has quite a large playing space. Due to there being little set and only a few England flags on the walls- the space sometimes swallows up the actor, it is bare and cold, the lighting also struggles to hit the outer parts of the space. Millie sometimes places the characters in the fringe areas of the space, up against a wall, up stage furthest away from the audience, this is effective direction and helps to minimize the issue of space, which allows the shows more intimate moments to feel authentic.

TIFO is in the category of important plays, it speaks up on issues of today but does so in an endearing and human way. Book tickets now as it isn’t one to miss!

‘TIFO’ written and performed by Kieran Dee, produced by Moon Loaf, directed by Grace Millie. The Lion and Unicorn Theatre 1-5th February 2022.

Tickets: https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on

Reviewed by Aaron-Lee Eyles,

Aaron-Lee is an actor, writer and director based in West London. They are passionate about diverse and innovative small-scale theatre. Aaron has had plays performed at The Cockpit, Bread and Roses and Hen and Chickens Theatre. His next play DEFRIEST, runs at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre 15-19^th March. Aaron-Lee is represented by Birdston Talent Management.

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