‘You forget I knew you were a queer long before I knew you were a fascist.’
1974, a public lavatory. Nicky shaves his head, watched by an older man.
Publicly, Nicky is a skinhead. And a neo-Nazi. But right now, in this place, that doesn’t matter. This is not the first man Nicky has met in a public toilet, and he won’t be the last…
Spanning twenty years and inspired by a true story, Foam examines the nature of identity and the consequences of right-wing extremist ideology against the backdrop of London’s skinhead and gay scenes of the 1970s and 1980s.
Colliding the terrifyingly personal and the violently political, Harry McDonald’s play Foam was first performed at the Finborough Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Matthew Iliffe.
‘The best new play I have come across for a long time. Wow! Does it pack a punch… McDonald’s writing is so powerful… a must-see play, but not for the faint-hearted’
— LondonTheatre1
‘Tense and intriguing… poses complex questions about identity, ideology and indoctrination… playwright Harry McDonald skilfully, non-judgementally interrogates our assumptions… a timely and important play’
— The Stage
‘Unflinching’
— Reviews Hub
‘Bleak and disturbing… Each scene plays out in tight, believable dialogue… shocking… terrifying’
— British Theatre Guide
‘Powerful, disturbing, violent and not for the faint hearted’
— ReviewsGate
‘Moving, provocative and memorable… a superb play about identity and the failure to find it… A must-see’
— London Pub Theatres Magazine
‘Compelling drama… the dialogue sparkles… theatrical magic’
— Arts Desk
