Review: ‘Failsafe’ at The Broadwater
- Dondre Tuck
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
“Failsafe” — a dark comedy by Phil Carroll that performed at the 2025. Edinburgh Fringe Festival following its New York City premiere — centers on Ivy (Grayce Toon) and Jones (Johncarlo Zani), two people locked in a toxic, self-perpetuating situationship.
Written with a sharp, cyclical structure, the play follows the pair’s repeated, unsuccessful attempts to kill one another, with each failure reinforcing the very bond they seem desperate to escape. The result is a story that is both absurd and unsettling, exploring how emotional dependency can override logic and self-preservation.
Josh Moreno’s scenic design of the black-box stage is simple but purposeful: two wooden benches, shallow baby-blue pools, white fabric panels streaked with red, and a blue tarp layered beneath a white floor covering. These elements create a visual language that complements the play’s themes without overwhelming it.
Director Lily Goldman leans into that minimalism, allowing the audience’s imagination to fill in gaps rather than overloading the space with unnecessary elements. The approach works well, especially in more stylized moments, including scenes involving a hanging and a pool, which are creatively executed. The pacing, while occasionally rushed, is supported by intentional blocking that gives the staging a sense of movement and depth.
Toon and Zani carry the production with commitment and focus, delivering performances that grow stronger as the play progresses. Early moments feel slightly uneven, but as the rhythm of the piece settles, their chemistry becomes more defined and engaging. There are instances where the pacing pushes them through key emotional beats a bit too quickly. Giving those moments more space to breath would allow the tension and humor to land more effectively. Still, their dedication to the material ultimately elevates the experience and keeps the audience invested.
Costume design remains understated, with subtle shifts, like the use of black onesies during a pool scene, adding variation without distraction. And Aelin-Alexandria Nyx’s lighting design stands out, establishing a moody, stylized atmosphere that enhances the emotional tone and sharpens the visual storytelling.
At its core, “Failsafe” examines toxic codependency. Ivy and Jones are fully aware of the damage they inflict on one another, yet remain unable, or unwilling, to break the cycle. The play captures that contradiction clearly and suggests that even dysfunction can become a source of comfort.
The audience remained engaged throughout a recent performance of its Los Angeles premiere, responding to the dark humor while also sitting with the heavier implications of the material. Overall, the production is compelling and thoughtfully executed. With more deliberate pacing to let key moments breathe, it could have an even stronger emotional impact, but even as it stands, it is an entertaining and conceptually sharp piece.
“Failsafe” performed March 20 to 22 at The Broadwater, 1078 Lillian Way, Los Angeles. For more information, visit @Failsafetheplay on Instagram.