REVIEW: God's Cowboy
- Tori Bullard (they/them)
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Gods’ Cowboy at Flight Path Theatre is a production filled with emerging talent and strong design instincts, but one ultimately let down by a script that feels unresolved, overlong, and deeply troubling in its handling of its own subject matter.
The cast are, without exception, the production’s strongest asset. Nathaniel Savy and Sophia Laurantus play twins Peter and Penny, with Savy bringing a sweetness to Peter that is underpinned by a quiet assurance in his sense of self and his needs. Sophia Laurantus, as Penny, delivers a particularly strong performance, bringing a delightfully grounded and emotionally honest energy to the role that lends credibility and warmth to the world of the play. Max Fernandez, as Daniel, delivers a performance of real intensity and complexity, creating a character that feels disturbingly human and recognisable without ever being comfortable. Tate Wilkinson Alexander plays a variety of roles throughout the piece, most notably the semi villain Demetrios, contributing with commitment and focus and helping to cohesively round out the ensemble. All four performers are clearly ones to watch, and it is evident they are capable of far stronger material than the script ultimately provides.
Director Ella Morris deserves credit for her confident use of Flight Path Theatre, a notoriously odd and often difficult space to stage work in. The blocking and spatial awareness are thoughtful, fluid, and inventive, allowing the venue to feel purposeful rather than restrictive. The lighting design is particularly noteworthy and is some of the best work seen at Flight Path in recent memory, enhancing mood, focus, and narrative momentum with real precision.
Where Gods’ Cowboy falters significantly is in its writing. Penned by Les Solomon and described as a memory play exploring childhood trauma and abuse through a theatrical lens, the piece never seems certain of what it wants to say. Moments that appear poised to make a clear statement instead feel muddled or tonally misjudged. The play is simply too long. There is a powerful and natural ending point in Act Two where the work should conclude, yet it continues into an unnecessary and weakening prologue that dilutes any impact already earned.
More concerning is the handling of its content. While discomfort and confrontation are often hallmarks of powerful theatre, here the effect is disconcerting for the wrong reasons. The production’s trigger warnings are inadequate and fail to cover material that includes sexual assault, sexual violence, child molestation, and coercion. Beyond this, the framing of these themes at times feels uncomfortably close to justification or softening of abusive behaviour, a choice that is neither meaningfully interrogated nor responsibly contextualised.
Ultimately, Gods’ Cowboy is a production brimming with promise in its performers and design, but one that requires substantial reworking at a script level. With sharper focus, tighter structure, and a far more considered approach to its themes, this could become something impactful. As it stands, it remains an uncomfortable experience, not because it challenges, but because it does not appear to fully understand the weight of what it is presenting.
God's Cowboy is playing at Flight Path Theatre until 21st of February
