Don O’Connell is a proud Irish man, son of Declan, and a chicken—a cockerel to be precise.
Presented by Fringe First Award winners Sunday’s Child and performed by Eva O’Connor, Chicken is a surreal parable of what it takes to stand for something.
All his life, Don has tried to suppress his Gallus roots, identifying more with the humans that raised him. From rising star to washed-up has-been, his road to Damascus is as dark as it is glamorous.
Here we are, cooped up in the basement of Summerhall to hear Don’s life story, an aburdist fable, delivered with intensity and humour. O’Connor struts and preens around the circular stage, ferociously maintaining eye contact with every member of the rapt audience. Her performance is mesmerising, with plenty of laughs punctuating this otherwise unsettling tale of exploitation, self-loathing and sacrifice.
Written by O’Connor and Hildegard Ryan, Chicken is a sharp, intelligent and unique adventure that critiques celebrity culture, identity and apathy, with heart and humour.