Like many Free Fringe shows, this one is hard to categorize. It might be theatre, it might comedy, it might be cabaret. It’s probably somewhere between the three, but that’s a hard flyering job. As it is, this three woman group from Manchester have brought a thoroughly friendly and often amusing piece of work for their first full-length Fringe show. They’ve got some excellent material and lovely stage presence, but there isn’t quite enough to fill a full hour. Still, I’m excited to see where Eggs Collective goes next.
Eggs Collective are good at what they do, but Get a Round feels like it still needs some refining
This show is focused on the concept of a “big night out,” the kind you anticipate for weeks and are inevitably disappointed by. It’s also got a specifically northern English flair — there are lots of references to eating chips on wet pavements, etc. (and Eggs Collective’s collective Mancunian accent certainly helps). It’s thoroughly interactive and feeds entirely off the audience’s energy. The Eggs never once let the energy drop and make a number of off-the-cuff jokes about the tech, or lack thereof.
There really isn’t a plot — this is just a series of sketches borrowed from real life, combined with physical theatre and song. Eggs Collective are good at what they do, but Get a Round feels like it still needs some refining. While the theme of female friendship and solidarity is refreshing and beautifully handled, the big night out feels like it’s being stretched very thin over the course of the hour. The somewhat incoherent structure is part of the piece’s charm, but it wanders a bit too much at times. Once this show’s had a few more runs, Eggs Collective Get a Round will be a joy to see. The heart and the energy are there already — as things are now, it’s not bad.
