Cockfosters | Review

Updated: Aug 18

5 stars

Cockfosters is a comedy all about the London Underground. This is the story of James and Tori, two strangers who meet on the Piccadilly Line at Heathrow and travel all the way to Cockfosters. During the course of their journey, they both talk and get to know one another better while constantly being interrupted by different types of commuters and situations that we all know too well.

A hugely relatable comedy, Cockfosters is laugh out loud funny. This show will appeal to anyone who has ever travelled on the London Underground. A fantastic example of a down-to-earth comedy written and produced by Tom Woffenden and Hamish Clayton that relates to our everyday experience of using the Underground. It brings to life one's inner thoughts about people and situations encountered on public transport. From the annoying person who plays their music out loud (without headphones) to the inconsiderate manspreading.

One of the funniest parts of the show is the American tourists who have trouble navigating and pronouncing the Tube stops, which I certainly can relate to and experienced when I moved to London. The show has an overwhelming Britishness to it; over-politeness, people saying sorry all the time, and loud football fans entering at Arsenal Station.

Image showing a theatre stage with two actors sitting and five actors standing, in football attire. — The Cast of Cockfosters | Photography Credit Marshall Stay

A very well done 'immersive' section involves the audience, which I won't discuss but adds to the show. The experience was also educational, and I learned some interesting facts about the history of the London Underground.

On stage, the cast shares great chemistry and is truly brilliant. There are a few cast members who play different characters and sometimes have to change costumes very quickly, which they do with ease. The show's stand-out star (and funniest actor) is Natasha Vasandani, in my opinion. Amazing accents aside, her best performance came when she played an 'older' woman who was offered a seat and responded to the assumption that she was unable to stand.