“… a good lighthearted night out “
Julia Newbould
3 eggs over easy
Venue: Old Fitz
Sydney
Dates: Until October 30
What do women in their late 20s really think about, talk about and obsess about?
Playwright Florence Keith-Roach has posited that it is eggs – human eggs, IVF babies, and sometimes even nits, the small eggs laid by head lice.
And while the idea is a little over-egged at times, the conversations between friends, played by Madeline Flood and Madeleine Wilson, offer some depth and honesty in this two-handed comedy drama.
In the words of director Megan Sampson, “Friendship, fertility and freaking the fuck out, the brief of Eggs was obviously instantly relatable” as the theme of the show.
And by the reactions of the audience this was certainly the case. They got understanding and supportive laughter throughout the production.
The two female protagonists, who remain unnamed, are first seen at an abortion clinic. One has just gone through the abortion while the other is talking trash about whether vegetarians who eat eggs are behaving worse than carnivores in a hypocritical way. It’s a totally inappropriate conversation to be having with the friend who has just aborted an embryo and the dialogue touches on the question of whether the egg should be considered a chicken; this sets the irreverent tone for the rest of the show.
The play is presented in short vignettes, which seem disjointed at first but it soon becomes clear these are progressions of the same story.
The second vignette is about nits – and the relationship that exposed them, and in turn is exposed by them.
The third is about the ticking time bomb that is a woman’s eggs and her need to procreate before they are no longer viable.
Alongside it all is the woman who is an IVF baby – a “manufactured” being – and how that impacts her ability to conceive and bear a child.
The idea of “eggs” traversing the entire series of vignettes is perhaps a little overdone.
The two actors are excellent in their roles and stay well in character – one as outwardly uptight and the other an artist who doesn’t fit in anywhere and works to keep it that way – keeping herself away from others and behaving a little too outrageously.
For those of an age where turning 30 is a heavy milestone, this play explores the questions and ideas most often churning in the mind at that time.
Staging is done well, with most of the scene and costume changes carried out quickly and efficiently onstage.
The staging itself is messy and unconstructed, clothes strewn on chairs in one part and on a bare rack in another, which is also reflective of the age and stage of life the characters are going through. Lighting is used well to mute but not completely stop during scene changes.
Congratulations to Sampson, who has brought out passionate performances by the actors and ensured the pacing is spot on.
The play has many funny moments and is a good lighthearted night out.
photos by Chloe Callow
Julia Newbould, Theatre Now
