foolish, The Courtyard Theatre
Our Camden Fringe 2025 interviews keep on coming as we approach the magical 100 mark, all with the aim to really give a taste of the depth of what our favourite festival has to offer. Each day in July we’re publishing more interviews, all of which you can find here.
Kate-Lynn Du Plessis‘ foolish is next in line, a play that asks what happens when love is put under the microscope of fame? Whilst we don’t know the answer to that, we do know the answer to some other questions, mainly because the team of Kate-Lynn, along with director Monica Cox and performers Kelvin Ade and Madeleine Hutchins helpfully took some time to answer them for us!
You can catch foolish when it plays at The Courtyard Theatre 14 – 16 and 21 – 23 August, tickets available here.
What can audiences expect from the show?
foolish is a lightning bolt of a play — a fierce, addictive new drama that throws you headfirst into the chaos of a love story caught between desire and pressure. When Kiera, a bold young writer, collides with Xander, a globally adored musician trying to feel something real, their connection is instant, electric… and impossible to ignore.
But as the spotlight intensifies, so do the stakes.
Audiences can expect a fast-moving drama filled with biting wit, raw emotion, and moments of stunning vulnerability. It’s sexy, tense, and emotionally rich — the kind of story that leaves you breathless one minute and wrecked the next.
At its core, foolish is about the brutal beauty of falling in love when everything’s at stake — your work, your identity, your future. It’s about who we become when we’re pushed to our limits, and what it really means to choose yourself.
foolish is theatre at its most alive. Come for the chemistry. Stay for the devastation.
Is Camden Fringe going to be the show’s first time on stage, or have you already performed elsewhere?
Yes — foolish will have its World Premiere at Camden Fringe, and we couldn’t be more excited. We chose Camden Fringe because it offers something truly special: a platform that champions bold new voices and gives space to take risks, be raw, and connect directly with audiences in a meaningful way.
This is a play that thrives on intimacy and intensity — and Camden Fringe felt like the perfect place to bring that to life for the first time. It’s a festival known for its energy, edge, and openness to fresh, fearless work, which aligns perfectly with the spirit of foolish.
We’re thrilled to have a six-night run, giving us the chance to really build momentum, connect with different audiences, and make a proper impact. There’s something electric about premiering in the heart of London during such a vibrant celebration of independent theatre — and we can’t wait to share this story for the very first time at Camden Fringe.
What was your inspiration behind the show?
The inspiration for foolish came from something as simple — and as complex — as scrolling through social media. I kept noticing how intensely people dissect relationships in the public eye. There’s this strange sense of entitlement — as if fame somehow erases the right to privacy, and makes someone’s most intimate moments fair game for public commentary. We see couples torn apart by speculation, viral edits, and out-of-context clips, and it made me wonder: What’s the real story behind closed doors? And what’s the emotional cost of being constantly watched, judged, and consumed?
Cancel culture also played a huge role in the development of the play — especially how quick and common it’s become to tear people down, particularly women. A single comment, post, or moment can spark a wave of hatred without any regard for nuance or consequence. I became fascinated by how the public often views famous people as untouchable — either to idolise or to scrutinise — and how easily that dehumanisation slips into cruelty. There’s this belief that if someone is in the spotlight, they’ve signed up for the fallout, when in reality, no one is built to endure that kind of pressure.
At the heart of foolish is a relationship that’s fragile, raw, and deeply human. I wanted to explore what happens when love — the kind of love that’s all-consuming and magnetic — is suddenly thrust into the spotlight. What does that exposure do to people? What’s left when your most vulnerable moments are exploded for the world to see? It’s terrifying. And I think it’s something we need to talk about — not just in terms of fame, but in how we treat each other online.I’m
How long have you been working on the play?
I’ve been working on foolish for over a year now. Interestingly, it all started with a poem I wrote called “let’s be foolish together”. It explored the kind of love that leaves you feeling exposed, a bit ridiculous, or even ashamed — but also alive. That poem stuck with me. It made me want to write a story about that kind of connection: one that’s intense, all-consuming, and doesn’t always make sense, but still feels impossible to walk away from.
The title foolish came to me long before the full idea of the play did. I knew that word would be the anchor — that it would capture the emotional state I wanted the audience to sit with. Then I knew I wanted it to be three characters. All messy in their own way. All flawed, all human, all trying — and failing — to get it right. People you recognise, not through big dramatic gestures, but in the way they react, spiral, lash out, fall silent. I didn’t want perfect people. I wanted people who feel real.
But the writing process was far from linear. I’d go months without touching the script, even though the idea was gnawing at me. I knew something was there, something I hadn’t cracked yet. I’d take my laptop everywhere — libraries, coffee shops, even the gym — just in case something sparked. I read poetry, wrote fragments, made notes on my phone in the middle of the night. But the real breakthrough came unexpectedly.
One night, after a particularly freeing, joyful evening with my friends — the kind of night where I wasn’t overthinking, just living — the full shape of the play suddenly hit me. I ran home (a little drunk), left my friends without much explanation, and wrote through the night. It poured out of me like it had been waiting all along. And I knew then: this was it. I’ve spent the time since refining and redrafting, building the world, the rhythm, the tension — and falling in love with these characters properly.
Is this version how you originally envisioned it or has it changed drastically since you first put pen to paper?
Yes and no. The heart of it — the feeling, the emotional hit — that’s exactly what I set out to create. But the version we’re putting on stage now has grown into something far more powerful than I could’ve imagined. I’ve been lucky enough to build a team of insanely talented artists — cast and creatives — who’ve each brought their own magic. It’s been a true collaboration, and because of that, this version doesn’t just feel like my vision… it feels alive.
What was it that drew you to this show and role?
Kelvin: I was drawn to this show because it’s raw and electric. It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, and sheds a light on the complexities of relationships, especially in the public eye. Despite Xander being the kinda guy everyone wants to be, he’s still unable to articulate want he truly wants. I wanted to explore what was beneath this public persona and the reasons behind his struggles.
I’m playing Olivia, Xander’s disapproving mother. I really enjoyed the scene that I auditioned with firstly. I didn’t at the time have the whole play, but I thought the scene was well constructed and the character was a lot of fun.
Later I met Kate-Lynn and Monica and enjoyed their energy and openness. As an artist I’m keen to delve into new writing and want to work with open hearts on new projects.
Madeleine: I thought i was too young for the role at first , but now I’m in a rehearsal room with three 20 somethings, I realise I am actually quite old these days!
What is it about your character that you most enjoy?
Kelvin: I enjoy Xander’s passion, his charisma and most importantly, his bravery. He’s not afraid to stand up for himself and even though he doesn’t always make the right decisions, he just wants the best for those around him. and I find that so relatable to my everyday life.
Madeleine: I really enjoyed playing with Olivia’s authority. In my own life, I’m a little less strident and don’t stand in my power quite so much, so it’s fun tapping into her energy. I hope to bring a little of Olivia to Madeleine in the future.
How challenging has this role been for you?
Kelvin: This role brought about several challenges in finding the balance between the charismatic renowned singer, and the complex troubled soul. I want the audience to experience all the different layers of Xander. So it’s a big challenge allow this to come through in my performance. Bring it on!
Madeleine: So far I’ve really enjoyed the rehearsal process. Kate-Lynn, Monica and Kelvin make for a super talented team and it’s a pleasure to create with them. I’m sure there will be challenges, I just haven’t come across them yet.
What brought you all together?
It all began with a director call-out from me, as the writer and producer — and that’s when Monica Cox came forward. I’d been keeping a close eye on her work for a while, genuinely admiring her talent and trajectory, and when she expressed interest, I just knew she’d be perfect for this project.
From there, things grew organically. When it came to assembling our creative team, we reached out to designers whose work we’d seen in person — the kind of artists whose names we quietly held onto, hoping to one day collaborate. And that day finally came.
For the cast, we did a call-out on Spotlight and were overwhelmed with thousands of submissions. After a first round of self-tapes and then in-person recalls, we found our final cast — a group who brought not only extraordinary talent, but also heart, depth, and chemistry.
The rest of the team came together through a mix of new collaborations and trusted relationships — stage managers and crew, some of whom we’ve worked with before, all bringing their own brilliance to the process.
Being a fringe festival, we all know sets have to be bare minimum, how have you got around this with your set and props?
Our brilliant set designer, Grace Rumsey, has been the mastermind behind making this work within the tight constraints of a fringe set-up — thinking practically about those 30-minute get-ins and get-outs, while still ensuring foolish has the sleek, professional feel it deserves.
It’s been a truly collaborative vision between Grace and our director, Monica, with our sound designer Sarah Spencer and lighting designer Ric Mountjoy playing a huge role in building the emotional landscape of the play. Together, they’ve crafted a world that doesn’t rely on clutter or excess — instead, it leans into atmosphere, tone, and carefully chosen detail to draw the audience in.
Without giving too much away, what the creative team has come up with is smart, stylish, and completely in tune with the spirit of foolish — minimal, yes, but never compromised.
What has been the biggest challenge in realising the writer’s vision for the show?
Monica: An exciting challenge is bringing to life the tone and texture which is so inbuilt in the transitions and stage directions. As the audience we get launched straight into the thick of this intoxicating relationship where the characters fall hard and fast. I’m looking forward to capturing that sense of passion and particularly in how we see the timeline of this relationship over days, weeks and years. It’ll be interesting to bring that to life through the non-verbal language they share and using the passage of time to really show how it feels for their relationship to shift and change.
Are there any plans for what comes next after the show has finished its run – for you or the show?
Camden Fringe is just the beginning for foolish. We have some incredibly exciting plans in the pipeline for the future of this production — but all will be revealed in due course. This run is our world premiere, and it’s just the first step in what we hope will be a much bigger journey. Watch this space.
If you had to describe your show as a colour what would it be?
foolish would be electric violet — vibrant, charged, and just a little unsettling. It’s the colour of intensity, emotion, and contradiction — both beautiful and bruised. There’s something magnetic about it, something that pulls you in even when it feels unstable. It reflects the extremes of love, the pressure of the spotlight, and the emotional volatility at the heart of the play. It’s bold, unapologetic, and unforgettable — just like foolish.
If your show had a soundtrack what songs would definitely be on it?
Sabrina Carpenter’s “Because I Liked a Boy” would be on there — it captures the cruel reality of being publicly dragged just for falling for someone, something the character of Kiera faces head-on.
Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” belongs too, for its aching sense of impermanence and the kind of love that haunts you long after it ends.
Suki Waterhouse’s “Good Looking” and Gracie Abrams’ “I Love You, I’m Sorry” speak to the emotional wreckage of trust and regret. Olivia Rodrigo’s “Love Is Embarrassing” brings in the chaos and humiliation of giving your heart to someone who doesn’t treat it carefully. And “The Archer” — again from Taylor Swift — perfectly captures Xander’s inner world: all eyes on him, yet no one really seeing him.
We’d also include “Love of My Life” by Harry Styles — the quiet devastation of knowing someone meant everything, but maybe wasn’t right. And “Bruises” by Lewis Capaldi, for those quieter moments where grief and confusion take over.
If you could perform this show anywhere in the world where would it be?
Without a doubt, Soho Place in London. It’s modern, bold, and built with new writing in mind — everything about it feels like it champions the kind of theatre foolish is. The space is intimate yet dynamic, which makes it perfect for a story like this — one that thrives on emotional tension, vulnerability, and that sense of the audience almost eavesdropping on something they shouldn’t be witnessing.
It’s a venue that feels alive, like it’s listening — and foolish deserves a stage that reflects that energy. It would be the perfect home this play.
A girl can dream.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received during your career, and how has it influenced your work on this show?
Monica: It may seem simple and may be more of a common sense than specific advice as such, but I believe working with not just talented people but people that you get on with is fundamental to creating a great play together. When you share the same language, and you’re on the same side, it’s much easier to reach the goal that we are all striving for. Over time, it’s easier to see who you click with and that is definitely something that I’ve found with this creative team and cast. Consequently, I’m excited to see what we can create together.
What words of advice/encouragement would you give anyone thinking about doing Camden Fringe next year?
Don’t be afraid to take the leap — and don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the industry whose work has inspired you. If you saw a show and couldn’t stop thinking about the lighting, or a set that stayed with you — look at the programme, find out who designed it, and get in touch. You’d be surprised how many brilliant creatives are open to collaborating on new work and excited by fresh voices. Sometimes all it takes is someone believing in your idea — and if you lead with passion and purpose, they often will.
This was my first time producing, and I didn’t realise just how early some of those key conversations — especially around design — need to happen. So my biggest practical advice? Talk to your director, set and lighting team early, way before rehearsals start. It makes a huge difference.
Also, use social media! It’s such an affordable, powerful way to build interest. Be consistent, be creative, and connect with other artists in the festival — support each other, lift each other up. It can feel daunting to put work out there that no one knows anything about yet, especially if it’s something deeply personal. But once you take the leap, it’s thrilling. And if you’re passionate about your story, the payoff — creatively and emotionally — will always be worth it.
Is there a question missing that you feel we should be asking you?
“Why did you call it foolish?”
So much of the play lives in that one word. foolish captures the vulnerability of loving someone who might not be good for you, the way we lose ourselves in the heat of connection, and the shame or chaos that can follow when love becomes public property. I wanted a title that felt emotional and a bit raw — like something you’d admit to a friend at 2am. Everyone’s been foolish for someone. That feeling sits at the heart of this play.
Thanks, to the team for their time. foolish plays at The Courtyard Theatre on Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 and Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 August.
