Fringe review: CHICKEN, Sunday’s Child - Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The stage dims. A door opens slowly. A chicken emerges walking very slowly through the door. Dazzling from head to toe in sparkling rooster garments, entering with sharp pointed movements, Eva O’Connor truly transforms into a chicken and as soon as this human animal enters the stage, we are transfixed and are sold on the fact that this chicken has written a play and will now perform it before our eyes.

Bryony Rumble’s costume is awe inspiring in its level of detail and its theatricality. From the Rooster’s head piece to its dazzling blue wings, the costume is a work of art.

Movement by Sarah Blanc is intricate in every moment, making sure that Eva O’Connor - who impressively performs this role for 60 minutes - never loses the slight pecking motion in the neck and head, the beady fixed eyes, the twitching of the wing and the bent knees which grounds this bird as one that infamously cannot fly. Eva O’Connor is a powerful and comedic performer, who plays with ease, focus and is effortlessly mad. Hildegard Ryan creates strong atmosphere in every scene, mapping the story clearly for its audience.

The story is fantastical, bizarre and thoroughly entertains its audience from start to finish.

A male chicken is born and taken in by a kind Irish couple who imbue it with Irish pride and a desire for freedom. This chicken always had a tendency for flare and performance and grows into a star with ambitions to become a famous actor in New York. It goes to New York, begins acting, alongside greats such as Michael Fassbender and Colin Farrell. Then it falls in love with an animal rights activist, who is also a chicken.

The writing (Hildegard Ryan and Eva O’Connor) is very clever. The farcical story line engages its audience’s trust before a subtle turning point that introduces the horrors of the factory farm. The play asks its audience to briefly but vitally engage with the reality of factory farming and the fates of ordinary chickens, when this chicken gets a role in none other than ‘Chicken Run’.

This is a thoroughly entertaining show that transports its audiences into another world. Go and see Chicken at Summerhall for what might be the most original show at the Edinburgh Festival this year.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Viv Williams

Chicken plays in the Former Women’s Locker Room at Summerhall at 8.50pm until 27 August.