Review: KING TROLL (THE FAWN), New Diorama

"What does it feel like? When they want to hurt you?" A question posed to Riya, a young immigrant at the heart of King Troll (The Fawn), reverberates throughout the play’s 90-minute journey. It is not long before we begin to feel the weight of that question. This co-production between the New Diorama Theatre and Kali Theatre is a visceral investigation of how migrant communities transform under the layers of anger, fear, and resilience they adopt – products of survival in a vexatious state.

I’m constantly impressed by how the New Diorama Theatre serves as a safe platform for urgent, marginalised work, and King Troll (The Fawn) is no exception to their trailblazing programming. While the play encounters some structural issues in pacing and design, it remains a vital piece of commentary for audiences in our country, where the livelihood of marginalised communities is threatened by oppressive regimes every day.

Sixteen scenes aim to convey the complex experiences of sisters Nikita and Riya. Nikita works with young migrants, helping ensure their security in a country that thrives off their vulnerability. She is a compassionate, exhausted, and infinitely loving force who battles against the duplicity of national leadership while trying to provide for her family and those around her. Riya, on the other hand, is not sponsored like her sister and is fighting for her right to remain. When their late mother’s old colleague, Shashi, provides a way for the sisters to ensure Riya’s safety – a fawn is born.

The fawn serves as Riya’s sponsor, embodying everything the country – and their landlord – requires from two marginalised sisters to grant them trust and perhaps even a measure of respect. It’s an exceptionally clever narrative device, revealing the moral corruption that festers within us during moments of desperation. How far are we willing to go to ensure our survival?

The intelligence of the fawn as a device is only further illuminated by Dominic Holmes’ juggernaut performance. This is one of the strongest pieces of acting I have seen on stage in a long time. His physicality is striking, and his development of the fawn is truly exceptional. As sisters Nikita and Riya, Zainab Hasan and Saffiya Ingar are devastatingly strong, tender, and complex. They have earnest chemistry and carry this narrative with enormous capability.

Ayesha Dharker is a comedic treat multi-roling as landlord Mrs B and Shashi. Despite inhabiting two comedic characters, she holds great nuance in her performances. This is matched by Diyar Bozkurt’s heart-breaking Tahir – a young migrant fighting for his survival, slowly relinquishing his hope.

The five tremendous actors are given plenty to work with in Sonali Bhattacharyya’s script. The dialogue is knowing and tender, and the imagery, aided by Iskandar Sharazuddin’s movement, is instinctive and unnerving. However, there are some pacing issues that prevent the piece from fully achieving its intended intensity. Some of the later dialogue feels diluted, lacking the sharpness needed to keep the chilling atmosphere created in the earlier moments of the play.

There’s also a strange monologue given to the fawn that disrupts the pace of the piece and feels misplaced. Holmes nails the delivery but the writing is strong enough in other moments that the piece had already conveyed what this monologue laid before us. However, director Milli Bhatia’s vision is strong and enchanting, and keeps the piece well alive in its rarely muddled moments.

While I can’t say I was a massive fan of the ending – it felt a little rushed and melodramatic – I was completely mesmerised walking out of King Troll (The Fawn). Mesmerised by the strength of these communities, and mesmerised by the five sensational performances that exhibited it. By the final scene, so much has unravelled that Nikita and Riya are left uncertain if they’ll ever meet again. I, however, truly hope we’ll see them return – this show deserves a long life ahead of it. It captures the heartache and urgency of our times with a spine-tingling poignancy few other works manage to achieve.

King Troll (The Fawn) runs at the New Diorama Theatre until 2 November

Photo Credits: Helen Murray 

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