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Gobstopper
  • By Roger Kay
  • |
  • 2nd Jun 2025
  • |
  • ★★★★★

Some people simply don’t have a filter, managing to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Our protagonist is one such person.

Leyla Aycan's performance marks her as a star of the future

Gobstopper unfolds the story of a young woman in a small Scottish town. For the benefit of international readers, gobstoppers are large, round, boiled sweets, best consumed slowly to avoid breaking your teeth. (The word “gob” is British slang for “mouth.”) Given their size and nature, gobstoppers take a long time to consume, inadvertently silencing conversation. Perhaps this is why the woman eats them.

An elderly man sits near her on a bus, making some noise. It’s only after she verbally abuses him that she realises, to her horror, that he’s choking—on a gobstopper, in fact. He manages to eject the sweet, which symbolically lands at her feet. Her blossoming pariah status suffers yet another blow. She becomes aware of a boy staring at her on the bus, but this isn’t a precursor to flirtation; he’s a child. She gesticulates toward him, only for the child’s mother to notice. It’s then that she realises the boy is blind. Before she can apologise, she is assaulted.

In such a small town, everybody knows everyone’s business, and her blunders soon become public knowledge. While intelligent and self-aware, the woman doesn’t seem to fit in. She has a reputation for social missteps, whether deserved or not, and today’s incidents only tarnish her standing further.

However, she faces an even bigger issue: she’s had casual sex with an older, married man and fears there will be repercussions. She’s conflicted, concerned, and hurt. It seems likely that she was unable to consent, adding a disturbing layer to her situation.

But why is she like this? The cold-hearted, dismissive attitude of her mother, combined with the absence of a father figure, is a good starting point. We can only imagine her formative years. She has little support structure, evidenced by the fact that it’s been weeks since she last saw her best—and only—friend. A random hook-up in a bar suddenly doesn’t seem so unlikely.

Every aspect of this production, presented at Prague Fringe, is outstanding: the writing and, especially, the performance by Leyla Aycan, who marks herself as a star of the future. Sophie Michelle’s direction is deft, giving the performer space to ebb and flow—no small feat in the intimate Café Míšenská. The only criticism is a back-handed one: while many pieces of Fringe theatre could benefit from an edit or two, Gobstopper feels like it’s missing a denouement, and we were left yearning for more. Will she stand her ground in this small town, pushing back against her reputation? Or instead, will she sail away, as suggested by Enya on her playlist, looking for a fresh start?

The woman is impulsive and makes poor choices, but that makes her human—not a monster. She is undeniably a victim of societal and institutional misogyny, another example of a woman being defined by a label. The quality of this SKELF Theatre Co. production is simply exceptional.

Reviews by Roger Kay

Muzeum alchymistů a mágů staré Prahy

Anna's Apartment

★★★★
Café Club Míšeňská

Gobstopper

★★★★★
Muzeum alchymistů a mágů staré Prahy

Blasé

★★★★
Café Club Míšeňská

Once Upon A Time In Hollywoodland

★★★★★
Malostranska Beseda Galerie

Tales of the Boudoir

★★★★

Since you’re here…

… we have a small favour to ask. We don't want your money to support a hack's bar bill at Abattoir, but if you have a pound or two spare, we really encourage you to support a good cause. If this review has either helped you discover a gem or avoid a turkey, consider doing some good that will really make a difference.

You can donate to the charity of your choice, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are three charities we really like.

Mama Biashara
Kate Copstick’s charity, Mama Biashara, works with the poorest and most marginalised people in Kenya. They give grants to set up small, sustainable businesses that bring financial independence and security. That five quid you spend on a large glass of House White? They can save someone’s life with that. And the money for a pair of Air Jordans? Will take four women and their fifteen children away from a man who is raping them and into a new life with a moneymaking business for Mum and happiness for the kids.
Donate to Mama Biashara now

Theatre MAD
The Make A Difference Trust fights HIV & AIDS one stage at a time. Their UK and International grant-making strategy is based on five criteria that raise awareness, educate, and provide care and support for the most vulnerable in society. A host of fundraising events, including Bucket Collections, Late Night Cabarets, West End Eurovision, West End Bares and A West End Christmas continue to raise funds for projects both in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities. During the COVID-19 crisis Acting for Others have raised over £1.7m to support theatre workers affected by the pandemic.
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Performances

Location

The Blurb

Winners of the Prague Fringe Audience Award and Inspiration Award in 2023 (The Seagull (Not That One)) - SKELF Theatre Co. return to Prague Fringe for another round!

This place is such a shit-hole. All I wanted was for something fun and exciting to happen to me... 

Somewhere in small-town Scotland, an old man nearly chokes to death on a gobstopper, and chaos begins to unfold. Making one bad decision after another and armed with a natural knack for saying the wrong thing at precisely the worst moment, our protagonist learns that in her town, trouble doesn’t just come knocking—it kicks the door down. With sharp humour and raw honesty, Gobstopper by Leyla Aycan is a punch-in-the-face tale of self-discovery, accountability, and the relentless quest for redemption. This dark comedy reveals how our labels can both shape—and shatter—who we are.

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