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Guide2Nottingham travelled to The Nottingham Playhouse to see A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg.

 

‘A Day in the Death of Joe Egg’ is an intriguing tale of family relationships, friendships and the dynamics and impact of coping with a severely disabled child. This black comedy opens with our protagonist Bri (Mark Benton), a smutty talking, highly imaginative teacher addressing his pupils whilst fantasizing about his estranged wife Sheila (Amy Robbins).

 

The story then shifts to Bri and Sheila’s festively adorned house where the remainder of the performance takes place. Within the first act, we are transported back and forth to discover the couple’s past and the circumstances and experiences surrounding their disabled daughter Joe ‘Egg’ (Finn Atkins), including various humorous scenes such as a visit to an Austrian paediatrician reenacted by Bri.    

 

The plot essentially centres on the ins and outs of the relationship between Bri and Sheila and their differing approaches with regards to dealing with the pressure of caring for their daughter Joe. Bri clearly loves his wife and daughter, however, to cope with their stressful situation he resorts to making jokes and acts of escapism. In desperate need of love from his wife, Bri shows signs of jealousy, even resentment towards Joe ‘egg’, affectionately termed due to her inanimate nature.

 

The fundamental difference between Bri and Sheila is hope. Bri has given up hope that his daughter will ever recover from the effects of Joe’s coma whilst Sheila has never given up hope and never will. Intertwined with this, are aspects of religion. Bri has never been religious and is a clear atheist, whilst Sheila is an ardent believer in God which compounds her belief that there is hope for the future ‘where there is life, there is hope’. However she also feels guilty for being promiscuous in her younger days before she met Bri, and thoughts that Joe’s disability is punishment, an ‘act of God’, play on her mind. 

 

Add to this the opinions of friends Freddie (Tim Dantay), an eccentric, upper class sports fanatic; Pam (Sarah White), Freddie’s wife who is opposed to anyone or anything she deems NPA (Not Physically Attractive) for which she has an extensive list; and Grace (Linda Broughton), Bri’s over protective, interfering mother who has a penchant for knitting and you have a hot bed of interaction.

 

Overall ‘A Day in the Death of Joe Egg’ offers some fantastic performances, a great deal of humour, most notably from Freddie (Tim Dantay), and thought provoking content surrounding a difficult issue. Well worth going to see. 

 

 

Directed by Matt Aston and designed by Laura McEwen, A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG lasts from Friday 19 March to Saturday 3 April.

Box Office: 0115 941 9419 or www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk