Cat in a Box ⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Tom explores love, loss and hope growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family, showing how trauma shapes our lives. Offering that no matter how dark the past, the present holds the possibility of light.”

The direction is good and clear. You immediately understand what the production is trying to do, and the story is presented with confidence. I particularly liked the use of the space, with the staging feeling natural rather than overly complicated. The direction knows when to let the story speak for itself, which is important with a piece carrying this much emotional weight.

The lighting and sound are good and simple, which works for this production. The technical design doesn't constantly demand your attention because the story is what needs to be centre stage. The simplicity allows the audience to concentrate on Tom’s journey without

The book by Tom is good. What I appreciated most is that it doesn’t shy away from the harder themes at its centre. Addiction, family dysfunction, trauma and the lasting impact of growing up in a difficult environment are not particularly easy subjects to explore, but the writing is willing to go there. That said, I wanted the writing to go even further. The most effective moments for me were when the show fully committed to the darker, more uncomfortable aspects of Tom’s story. Those moments had real impact because they didn’t feel like they were trying to soften the experience for the audience. I wish the production had leaned into that side of the story more consistently.

There are some really powerful ideas here, and at times you can see the much more devastating play hiding underneath the surface. I wanted a little more of that. When Cat in a Box goes hard, it really works. I just wanted it to be brave enough to stay there for a little longer.

The performance is raw, honest and emotional. The performance has real vulnerability, and you can feel the weight of the character’s experiences without it becoming overly theatrical. The performer brings a genuine humanity to Tom; this is a tale because it asks the audience to sit with some incredibly difficult experiences.

The performance also shows a lovely sense of restraint. Rather than constantly pushing for the big emotional moment, there are quieter sections where the character is allowed to exist, and those moments often speak just as loudly.

The journey is clear, and the performer handles the shifts between lighter moments and much heavier material well. We feel like we are watching someone trying to make sense of what happened to them, rather than being told what to feel.

It is a performance with heart, and while I would have liked the writing to push the character even further, there is plenty here to connect with.

Cat in a Box is an honest and emotionally driven piece exploring some incredibly difficult subjects. It doesn’t shy away from addiction, trauma or the complicated effects that a dysfunctional family can have on someone growing up. For me, the production is at its strongest when it stops holding back and really digs into those darker themes. I just wanted more of those moments and for the writing to push the emotional material even further. There is clearly a powerful story here, and with a little more bravery in the writing, it could hit considerably harder.

Cat in a Box has just finished it's run at the Fringe, so keep an eye out to see where this show goes next.