EGG

Acclaimed choreographer and dancer Erin Fowler is premiering her newest offering, EGG, at the Black Box Theatre for this year’s Adelaide Fringe. In EGG, Fowler incorporates her background in dance into a comedic, physical theatre piece, unmistakably directed by none other than Adelaide’s king of clowning, Hew Parham.

EGG is in many ways an exploration of the human condition, of societal expectations placed on females, the effects those expectations can have on women’s careers, and the associated guilt that is frequently experienced around motherhood, whether women ultimately choose to have children or not.

The complex subject matter of the piece is sensitively explored by Fowler. Accompanied by a fast-paced 1980s soundtrack, Fowler takes the audience on her journey as a young woman and artist. From aspiring to international touring, to living the dream in Scotland with her imagined future husband, Fowler’s dreams come to a grinding halt when COVID takes hold. She finds herself the other side of 30, single, looking for a suitable life partner, and wondering whether she should be considering freezing her eggs.

Fowler’s dance background is evident in the piece. Whether its scrolling Tinder, being the portrayal of the ever-ticking biological clock, or the embodiment of her own egg, she brings great pathos and humour to the piece. There is a particularly funny scene involving a shower cap and plastic poncho, but you’ll have to go and see the show if you want to know more.

The show would benefit from a couple of the vignettes being tightened, but overall EGG is an interesting exploration of issues that affect all women at some stage of their life. If you’re a woman, or know one, you will find something to relate to in Erin Fowler’s EGG.

Jenny Fewster

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