What People Are Saying
“You’ll laugh till you cry and then you’ll just cry.”
“Three superbly measured and talented performances.”
Read the rest from Get Your Coats On >
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“…Schaumberg masterfully weaves a complex narrative, turning the seemingly simple lives of broiler chickens into a deep and poignant reflection on the human condition…”
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“Samuel Beckett would be so proud.”
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“…feathery fabulousness…”
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“...turn[s] a bleak reality into a piece of art.”
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“Nothing short of incredible”
Theatre Beyond Broadway
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Press Release
Three Chickens Confront Existence
Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Button), 61 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JX
Thursday 31st July – Sunday 24th August 2025 (not 11th, 18th), 17:20
Following their critically acclaimed run at last year’s festival, Three Chickens Confront Existence returns with their eggs-traordinary show, promising to make audiences laugh and cry. This hilarious show offers a fresh perspective on humanity and our place in the universe. Think Waiting for Godot, but with chickens. Tragedy seamlessly morphs into comedy and back again as they explore mysticism, power struggles, class inequality, mythology and religion, all while delivering emotionally charged antics and plenty of surprises.
In this surreal production, we follow three factory-farmed chickens as they passionately explore their impossible situation from every possible angle. It’s a continuous framing and reframing of their reality, all wrapped up in hilarious antics and unexpected twists. As they await their imminent trip to the broiler, the three engage in debates, games, feuds and emotional experiments, in search of peace of mind and a greater sense of purpose.
The adorably feathered cast returning includes Eric Kirchberger (Voice of the Orange M&M for the past 25 years; Sandman, New York; Stand-Up Comedian for Comedy Central, HBO Comedy) who will be cluck clucking as Reginald. He is joined by Audrey Rapoport (Bull, Cheers, Thirteen Days, I Love You To Death, Newhart) who will be laying some laughs as Helen. With all the yolks Matthew DiLoreto (performed for years as a member of The Blue Man Group in New York and Boston; regular performer at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, New York) will be hen-some as Bronseman.
Sasha Richter (Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Netflix; Boardwalk Empire, HBO; The Gilded Age, HBO) is the costume designer behind the feathers.
Writer Bill Schaumberg comments, In a time of great fragmentation I felt drawn to a story that is universally human (despite the fact it doesn’t contain a single human character). At the end of the day no matter what hand we’ve been dealt we can’t escape the simple truth that we’re all going to die, and we don’t know when. Unlike most of us who have many seasoned methods for distracting ourselves from this unsettling truth, these characters are trapped and literally can’t look away from it. It feels more important than ever to come together in person and have a shared cathartic experience where we can laugh wildly at our human situation as presented by adorably feathered actors and maybe cry a bit too.