A show that puzzles and delights in equal measure
With thousands of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, often some of the best can be under-attended and underappreciated. “The Pigeon Factory” falls under this category. As a solo show, written and performed by Aaron O’Neill, this sixty-minute show puzzles, delights, and offers its audience question after question.
Walden (played by O’Neill), married to a mannequin woman and the father of pigeon children, finds a certain hollowness in his daily life despite performing his life perfectly. From the outset, the audience are plunged into the sheer absurdity of this world – though never at any point does it feel absurd enough as to become unengaging. It is in this truly ridiculous world that the audience come to grips with their own absurd situation under capitalism. “The Pigeon Factory” challenges its audiences to understand and digest the unfair, bizarre expectations of a perfect utopian life under capitalism in a fantastically unique way, avoiding common pitfalls of anti-capitalist lectures or spoonfeeding its audience.
O’Neill is without a doubt the driving force of the show. He performs with a ferocity that can flip on a dime to be fragile or comic, ensnaring his audience with his convincing portrayal of a man coming to the realisation of the emptiness of his life. While sometimes the writing felt slightly lost under the absurdist genre and the complex ideas it grapples with, O’Neill’s performance as Walden leaves the audience captivated and deeply affected by this unrealistic, but relatable, situation.
Oh!Scare Wilde Productions have a show that is truly something special. Despite moments of difficulty in following the plot, the overall production is a marvellous show that should find itself among the greats of the Edinburgh Fringe. O’Neill’s talent should not be understated, nor should the brilliance of the show itself, which stands as a fantastic piece of absurdist theatre.
Show Listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-pigeon-factory
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: Jelly Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate
Dates: 5th – 30th August (not 17th)
Time (run): 12:55pm (60 mins)
Ticket prices: £13.50 (full price), £12.50 (concession)
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Content notes: Scenes of violence and strong violence. Suitable for ages 12+.