Oli Fuller
Heartfelt and passionate, with one of the best performances you will see at the fringe this year.
The Pigeon Factory follows Walden, a man stuck raising pigeons and sharing his life with his mannequin wife, Marianne, living by a very strict schedule. Domestic life meets delusion in the dystopia he has created for himself, with a life built to achieve productive perfection, escaping the machine of capitalism only to create a machine of his own.
Performer Aaron O’Neill is outstandingly talented, he is funny while becoming terrifying with the flick of a metaphorical switch. The character he creates feels brilliantly real despite his own absurdism, and the stunning direction from Dee Finn works to build a reality that never feels flat.
The Pigeon Factory provides a deeply unique criticism of capitalism, focusing on the drive towards endless productivity. Despite its absurdism it feels relatable, even to someone who doesn’t live with the typical office job drive.
I knew very little about the show before going in, and with such a whimsical name I was met with a near opposite of what I expected. Yet I was also met with a show that left me thinking about life, analysing the world I have created for myself, just as Walden delves into the world he has created as well.
Recommended Drink: – Raw Pigeon Egg in a Glass
You can catch The Pigeon Factory at Underbelly Cowgate (Jelly Belly) at 12:55 (60mins) from August 12-30 (Not 17). Tickets Available at the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Salvador Kent
Eve Miller
Hannah Hamilton
