Eggs, VAULT Festival – Review

Pros: A quirky, witty, honest two-hander.

Cons: I wasn’t a fan of the unnerving entrance to the underground venue.
Eggs, VAULT Festival – Review

Summary

Rating

80

Excellent

An examination of female friendship in a society full of pressure and pain. Eggs is complex in its questioning of society, relationships and life and yet it is delightfully easy to watch.

Florence Keith-Roach’s play tells the story of Girl 1 and Girl 2, who are in their late twenties and trying to find where they fit in the world. The girls went to university together and thus have a close bond; but they are polar opposites in personality. It appears that the death of their mutual friend Rose brought them together. The grief they share means they lean on each other for support, but often question what their friendship is truly based on.

Girl 1 is an artist, who enjoys questioning societal structures, growing her armpit hair and taking drugs. She was an IVF baby and is obsessed with talking about it, particularly how her ‘unnatural’ conception maybe means she shouldn’t exist at all. Girl 2 is preoccupied with having a ‘perfect’ life in the eyes of society. She wants to be successful at work and have a husband and children as soon as possible; everything she does bears this goal mind. On first meeting, Girl 2 appears to have her life together slightly more than Girl 1, but as the play progresses we realise both girls are as lost as each other.

The girls are bound by fear and disconnection. Eggs shows how female friendship endures these hardships and is something to be cherished. As a recent graduate, I was able to see myself and friends in the characters and the things they experience. Conversations flit between sexuality, careers and 90’s tunes, to depression, feminism and capitalism. There are moments that are cringey, serious, satirical, hilarious and downright bizarre; but Keith-Roach and Zardoe are totally engaging throughout. The dark undertone of the whole piece is highlighted by the soundscape (Jon McLeod) in between scenes.

From embryos to vibrating eggs to Easter eggs, there is a thematic symbol of eggs that runs through the script. This is to emphasise the girls fears about fertility and is teamed with the strictly orange and white hipster style costumes (Lily Ashley). These, along with the minimalist set (Clementine Keith-Roach) perfectly complement the piece. Showing at VAULT festival, it is important to bear in mind that you will have to walk through a long underground tunnel to get to the entrance of the venue. As a first timer at The Vaults, I found this a little unnerving to begin with. Trains will also be going overheard throughout the performance, but this is easy to get used to. That being said, the dark, dank venue feels quite suitable for an experimental play that is full of pain and insecurity.

Florence Keith-Roach is a very skilled writer and I look forward to her future work.

Director: Lucy Wray
Author: Florence Keith-Roach
Booking Until: 6 March 2016
Booking Link: http://www.vaultfestival.com/event/eggs/2016-02-24/