If you’ve ever wanted a Nietzschean Chicken Run set in the distressing conditions of a battery cage, you can find it in Three Chickens Confront Existence. Striking as the concept is, however, the show’s potential feels as though it has yet to properly hatch.
The plot follows feathered friends Helen (Audrey Rapoport), Bronseman (Matthew DiLoreto), and Reginald (Eric Kirchberger) as they pass the time and await their fast-approaching end. The chickens (or roosters) each convey their likeable personalities throughout their performances, with Audrey Rapoport’s hysterical Helen deserving special mention for bringing fun to the show.
As an immersive experience, the show captures the monotony and boredom of being cooped up in a Beckettian way, which works well in the snug Downstairs of Assembly Roxy. The set evokes a sort of Cell Coque Tango, and the overall environment is very effective.
The cast’s characterisations and costumes designed by Sasha Richter communicate the chicken-ness of the show’s characters, but their anthropomorphism is a little confusing at times. While the show attempts to raise existential questions through these morbid poultry pals, their identities feel entirely human while their circumstances do not. The result is a selection of characters that do not speak for humans or chickens, which restricts the show’s philosophical depth.
Written by Bill Schaumberg, the dialogue ranges from a quirky comedy sketch to bouts of dramatic chatter. The pace can feel slow at times, and it is a little unclear how the audience is expected to be affected by the show’s message. Three Chickens Confront Existence does not hit hard enough to be political, it does not raise deep enough questions to be profound, and, for a comedy, chuckles amongst the audience are scarce in places.
Overall, the foundations of Three Chickens Confront Existence hold promise, but the show could benefit from delivering a little more bang for your buck buck buck.
