Three Chickens Confront Existence returns with its eggs-traordinary blend of comedy, tragedy, and surreal existential musings. Set in a factory farm, this hilariously profound show channels Waiting for Godot, but with chickens, as it tackles mortality, power and purpose. We sat down with Writer and Director, Bill Schaumberg to discuss his upcoming production.
Thank you for chatting with A Young(ish) Perspective! Introduce us to who you are and what your doing at the Edinburgh Fringe this year?
Hi. My name is Bill Schaumberg and I’m the writer and director of the play Three Chickens Confront Existence playing at Underbelly Cowgate for a full run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Fest.
A Youngish Perspective platforms accessible arts and champions the huge scope of different perspectives – can you tell us about the show you’re taking to Edinburgh Festival Fringe as if you’re flyering to both a young first-time-Fringe goer and a festival veteran returning every year?
You’re going to die! I’m going to die! We are all going to die! Now that I’ve got that unpleasantness out of the way – let me ask you this? How would you like to explore this fundamental and unsettling truth through the lens of three fabulously costumed, introspective, and extremely witty factory farmed chickens as they passionately explore their comically impossible situation – awaiting their imminent trip to the broiler?
When developing an absurdist show such as this one, how are you able to ground the plot and the themes?
I think I’m able to ground the plot and themes of the play by keeping everything anchored to a core and relatable (human) experience. No matter how exaggerated and ridiculous these characters’ attempts to make sense of their situation and find deeper meaning are they remain, at their root, relatable – we just stretch these universal experiences to absurdist lengths.
Three Chickens Confront Existence centres humanity and does not contain any human characters. What was the process of developing each of these chickens and ensuring that they had allure and motivations of their own?
That’s a great question. I thought of the different coping mechanisms I, and people I know, employ (consciously or otherwise) when dealing with mortality and transience, and I built the characters from there. One character copes through intellectual detachment and obsesses over discovering a formula that will reveal a pattern dictating which cell block is sent to the broiler and when. Another character, who I refer to casually as “Hamlet in Feathers,” remains a steadfast contrarian who shuns escapism and broods endlessly about the injustice of his life, and a third character attempts to view everything as glass half full, focusing on the simple things she’s grateful for, anxiously avoiding unpleasant inner and outer truths. Through the course of the play, each character grows and discovers new perspectives and parts of themselves they didn’t know existed – ultimately finding a lot of common ground I think.
Who would your surprise dream audience member be?
Without thinking too much about it, the first person that came to mind was: John Cleese.
Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Button) from 31st July – 24th August at 17:20. Tickets are available here.