British playwright Ella Road’s Fair Play speaks to the moment we are living in by tackling rivalry, friendship, female empowerment, race, and gender, and it does so brilliantly. Audiences can see the work in a dynamic production now playing at 1st Stage in Tysons through November 2.
Directed by 1st Stage associate artistic director Deidra LaWan Starnes, the two-actor play focuses on two female athletes, both training and competing in the elite world of track and field in the United Kingdom. Mahkai Dominique plays Ann, who is new to the training center and who was recruited for her high potential as an athlete. Ann is also Black. She meets Sophie, played by Camille Pivetta, who is an established athlete who exudes confidence and is white. Over the course of the 90-minute drama, race and gender roles are examined as the pair of athletes grow and bond over their shared experiences. The playwright does not shy away from loaded topics but presents them within the fabric of the realistic dialogue between Ann and Sophie.
The text moves rapidly, covering a lot of ground, and the dialogue is sharp, naturalistic, and very British: talk of watching “telly,” dining on spaghetti Bolognese, and a liberal use of expressions like “innit” (a contraction of “is it not”), which should be familiar to fans of working-class characters on British TV.
One highlight of the production is how Starnes, the director, and the designers engineered the transitions and time jumps between scenes. Sarah Beth Hall‘s scenic design evokes a stadium, a locker room, and any location needed. An asymmetrical stretch of a running track serves as a backdrop. Projections of Ann and Sophie make for smooth and eye-catching scene transitions, passing like live reenactments of Nike commercials. The actors strike poses, move to the music, and, in a snap, advance hours or days without missing a beat. Lighting designer Alberto Segarra, projection designer Mark Costello, sound designer Thom J. Woodward, and scenic designer Hall each deserve gold medals for their collaboration with the director.
Starnes, as director, has also cast the production impeccably: each actress handles the British dialect like a local (dialect coaching by Jeri Marshall). Pivetta and Dominique both have the physique of top athletes as they stretch, drill, and prepare for their time on the track; Funmi Daramola serves as track and field consultant, allowing the actors to fully inhabit the skin of athletes, lending realism to the production. Costume designer Cidney Forkpah provides simple but effective athletic wear for the actors.
Like all well-made plays, the atmosphere of athleticism and the details of their training are merely the setting and engine of the play. For all the Britishness of the dialogue, there are universal truths and issues at play here. At the heart of Road’s text are these two young women attempting to make sense of their lives, their relationships, their choices, and each other. Dominique and Pivetta take their characters on a jam-packed journey, beginning as skeptical rivals and growing into friends, perhaps even soulmates. When each character faces a challenge, the other is there to play devil’s advocate or offer a shoulder to cry on.
In the midst of their training, Ann and Sophie face issues such as doping, body autonomy, and even the hot-button topic of gender. Road’s script seems timely and real, with one of the characters facing an issue that could jeopardize her status on the team. Major topics are handled with care, leaving some questions unanswered and allowing the audience an opportunity to consider the issues after they leave the theater. It is a powerful story of two world-class athletes brought to life by two first-class actors and is well worth a visit.
Aside from the thought-provoking play, 1st Stage’s recent renovation is another reason to visit. With a new lobby area and larger rehearsal space, 1st Stage has much to offer for patrons and audiences.
Running Time: 90 minutes, no intermission.
Fair Play plays through November 2, 2025, at 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons, VA. Tickets ($15-$55) can be purchased online or by calling (703) 854-1856.
Content Warning: No content recommendations are provided, but parents should know that adult language and mature subject matter are discussed.
Fair Play
By Ella Road
Directed by Deidra LaWan Starnes
Featuring Mahkai Dominique (Ann) and Camille Pivetta (Sophie)
Understudies: Sia Li Wright (Ann) and Melissa Wilson (Sophie)
Assistant Director: Marvin Brown
Stage Manager: Sarah Usary
Lighting Design: Alberto Segarra
Projection Design: Mark Costello
Costume Design: Cidney Forkpah
Sound Design: Thom J. Woodward
Scenic Design: Sarah Beth Hall
Props Design: Justin Nepomuceno
Track and Field Consultant: Funmi Daramola
Technical Director: Jax Pendland
Dialect Coach: Jeri Marshall
Intimacy and Violence Coordinator: Lorraine Ressegger-Slone
Artistic Director: Alex Levy
SEE ALSO:
1st Stage to present ‘Fair Play’ by Ella Road (news story, October 7, 2025)
