Dorset Born Theatre’s latest production FORT by Tabitha Hayward is a tale of two friends Fifteen-year-old Daisy (Martha Harlan) and Viv (Megan Marszal). Whose friendship is tested and strengthened in the FORT on the farmland belonging to Viv’s family.
The friends start the play arriving at the FORT late in the evening awaiting “the ghost” that Daisy has previously seen there and had interacted with.
Tabitha Hayward roots the play firmly in the life of village residents. Where small-town gossip and country fayres are the highlights of the years. Local legends and old historic buildings have their secrets that are usually only known by the locals and are invariably slightly exaggerated for effect to outsiders. It is firmly set in village life away from the noise and smells of a City.
The problematic part of FORT for me was the fact that nobody including the police appeared to be looking for a missing 15-year-old. I am aware the audience is relayed all the information from the village by Viv, it is something I would have expected to have been spoken about.
FORT would benefit from editing and the final scene with the “school children ” was confusing and felt like a whole new part of the storyline added on without enough backstory to make sense. The play would benefit from losing it unless it is explained in more depth.
However, Layla Bradbeer and Freddie Lewis the designer and sound designer create an atmospheric setting for the mysterious storyline and at times you feel things might be about to go “bump in the night”.
For more information about FORT please visit the link below.
Three Stars.
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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