The disturbing mind of a man in psychosis fuses with the majesty of wildlife in Titas Halder’s debut play Run The Beast Down.

The contemporary tale was delivered to the Marlowe Theatre’s studio in a one man monologue by Ben Aldridge (presently starring in Fleabag for BBC3 and Amazon).

Charlie (Aldridge) has lost his job and his girlfriend Alex has left him too. He’s also stopped sleeping and as the insomnia rages, the lines between reality and mania become blurred.

When his neighbour’s cat is mauled, the beastly culprit makes himself known to Charlie – a walking, talking fox – and warns him that Alex is next.

Through sleepless nights, and provoked by the screaming taunts of foxes, he steps up his mission to protect a girl who does not want him near. And as Alex and his friends begin to fear for Charlie’s mental health, his paranoia is fuelled when she tells him she found a fox in her flat.

Pacy throughout, it is punctuated with contemporary electronic beats from sound engineer Chris Bartholomew and there are chalk written messages to chronicalise Charlie’s journey from respectability to a murderous showdown with the beast.

Against the sleek and uber modern studio of the Marlowe, the contrast of crumpled charlie’s wired breakdown plays out, showing how mental illness affects everyone around – work, love, friends and nature.

Verdict: Beautifully written, superbly acted and equally disturbing. Go and see it.

Run The Beast Down is now being shown at the Finborough Theatre, London, for a limited four week season. For tickets call 0844 847 1652 or visit finboroughtheatre.co.uk

It is produced by The Marlowe Theatre and Libby Brodie Productions.