Good For You
★★★★☆ Punchy
theSpace on the Mile (Venue 39): Sun 3 – Sat 23 Aug 2025
Review by Hugh Simpson
Good For You – from Something’s Afoot Theatre Collective and New Celts at theSpace on the Mile on odd dates throughout the Fringe – is a cleverly written, well acted, and thoroughly absorbing piece.
After a male employee of a New York law firm has been sacked for sexual misconduct, it is decided that his cases should go to a female lawyer. This apparent attempt at equity is a thinly disguised ploy to embroil three female employees in competition.
Fiona Hourston (Jeanie) and Natalie Beller (Summer) in Good For You. Pic: Something’s Afoot Theatre Co.
Right from the start, there is an energy to the performances and to Becca Donley’s direction that grips the audience. There is a realism and variety that makes for a coherent and thoroughly impressive piece of writing by Emery Schaffer.
Fiona Hourston is tremendous as Jeanie, wife of Michael, the man who has been sacked. Netaniah Faison Osborne is poised as Zara, who has her own relationship problems. Natalie Beller gives Summer, an insecure and undervalued young lawyer, a brittle senstivity.
rare depth
The three characters are clearly and cleverly differentiated without it ever appearing formulaic. There is rare depth to these characterisations, with complex motivations and human flaws on display. There is not really a great deal in the way of plot, as might be expected in a legal drama, but the writing is very fine.
The moments of monologue and dialogue are handled skilfully, while all three performers also play their boss Alan with a cartoonish edge that still works beautifully in dramatic terms.
Fiona Hourston (Jeanie), Natalie Beller (Summer) and Netaniah Faison Osborne (Zara) in Good For You. Pic: Something’s Afoot Theatre Co.
The play’s resolution is a little awkward compared to what has gone before, but it retains its power. Addison Wolman and Donley’s sound design and Daniel Brammer’s tech are thoroughly integrated into a production that grips throughout.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
theSpace on the Mile (Space 3), 80 High St, EH1 1TH. (Venue 39).
Sunday 3 – Saturday 23 August 2025.
Odd dates only: 3.10 pm.
Tickets and details: Book here on EdFringe.com.
Instagram: @somethingsafoottheatreco
TikTok: @somethingsafoottheatreco
ENDS
