Gail and Gemma are puzzled why only one of them has been invited to Jim's birthday party, but they're happy for their new friends, the audience, to decide which of them should go. Gail and Gemma are rescue chickens, the former having been a prolific egg layer, the latter once destined for the pot. And to help us decide who is going to the party they will tell us more about themselves, and their chequered pasts. Stories told in flashback, demonstrations of their varied talents (Gail writes poetry), a tragic love affair and a lot of corn, paint in the details of their lives and personalities.
Interesting contrasts abound. The chickens have very human experiences and emotions, but also real memories of the horrors of industrial farming. They, Gail in particular, think themselves sophisticated in the ways of the world, and remain totally naive throughout. They are locked into their cage and frequently break the fourth wall. And both speak in weird unplaceable accents that make them both cute and slightly alien. There's storytelling, drama, farming facts, dance, poetry (Gail's of course), live music and song, and an extensive (free?) range of chicken related puns. Both Jess Dupré (Gail) and Sophie Taylor (Gemma) are excellent, both individually and as an instinctive team, drawing the audience into their cage bound little world. High energy, very physical, full of laughs, imaginative, unexpected and with a surprising dose of pathos, this is Fringe entertainment at it's best, and the memory of seeing it will stay with me for a long time. And did I mention how funny it is?
Unmissable.
No, really - you should go and see this, it's wonderful, one of 2019's hidden gems. And take all your friends. They'll love you for it.
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