In Cat Fight, a suburban ecological paradise nestled in the English countryside becomes unmoored after a confrontation with nature during one hot, sultry summer. Alternating among the perspectives of three neighbors whose lives are not what they seem, Kit Conway's exceptional debut is an engrossing, gossip-laden domestic drama sizzling with secrets and deceit.
Small wild animals such as hedgehogs and badgers are common sightings in Sevenoaks, which borders a glorious wilderness reserve in Kent, but panthers are most definitely not. So when Adam King, the local heartthrob, sees one on the hood of his car, the ensuing panic reverberates far and wide. Neighbors are divided between those who believe Adam and those who don't, while for some residents the diversion proves to be very convenient indeed.
Emma Brooks hopes the panther hysteria will distract neighbors from her controversial home renovation plans, while Twig Dorsett considers the media attention on Sevenoaks a boon for her GoFundMe campaign--she'll do anything to raise money for her daughter's cancer treatment. Coralie King, a former zoologist, doesn't believe her weed-smoking husband actually saw a panther, but maybe by appeasing him she can save her marriage.
The launch of summer brings with it a "wildness unfurling" among neighbors. On its surface, Cat Fight is an entertaining parody of suburbia. As the mystery of the panther deepens and neighbors start behaving strangely, Cat Fight prowls its way toward a spectacular, terrifying conclusion. The panther itself is beside the point--it's the reaction it elicits from Conway's delightfully imperfect cast members that makes for memorable drama. --Shahina Piyarali