The Hardest Way to Make an Omelette

‘The Hardest Way to Make an Omelette’ is the latest adult work from egg-centric Perth-based artist, model, puppeteer and theatre maker, Jessica Harlond-Kenny. This chick is a graduate of Contemporary Performance from ECU, Jessica’s show ‘See Ya Sailor Man’ was nominated for ‘Best Theatre Production’ at the 2013 Fremantle Fringe World Festival.

Cracked Egg Productions in partnership with Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is presenting this daring and unusual one act, 60-minute production at the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, 1 Short Street (directly opposite the Fremantle train station) in Fremantle.

The egg-pic shows are nightly at 8.30, until Sunday 11^th November, with matinee performances on Sunday 3^rd and 10^th November at 11.30 am. A special $35 Sunday Breakfast Ticket include your ticket and breakfast next door at Il Cibo, 2 Market Street, Fremantle. 

       It is the middle of the night, and a young woman (Jessica Harlond-Kenny) is lying in bed fast asleep. As a dog barks down the street, a dismembered hand can be seen walking around her quilt, joyfully feeling the body beneath. The hand disappears for a short while then returns with an egg which it stuffs into the woman’s mouth.

      The bedside alarm goes off, and as the woman stretches she is amazed to find the egg, but doesn’t realise that this is just the start of an unusual and horrendous day.

      She staggers into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, but finds herself under the command of the officious egg. Slowly her own ‘offspring’ arrive from various parts of her body, and like all children they have their very own personalities. Making even a simple meal, having someone domineering and watching every move, coupled with half a dozen ‘kids’ to keep an eye on, makes cooking hard work. She finds herself treading on egg shells and mentally she starts to crack. This is no old chook; she will not give in to the surrounding forces trying to ruffle her feathers. As the French say ‘An oeuf is an oeuf’ and she takes control.

     The preparation of a simple meal of eggs on toast starts. The girl LOVES her eggs, and after what can only be described as ‘tea-bagging’, she really gets into the meal. 

An absolutely uproarious play, filled with ‘yokes’ that will make you chuckle. With very clever lighting, sound effects and music (Joe Lui) this fast paced production gallops along. With the dexterity of a magician, raw eggs just seemed to eggspertly appear. The word ‘omelette’ sounds as though it is French for ‘little man’ – believe me, there are plenty of little men living in these eggs, and they all have a life and personality of their own.

With the clever puppetry, you wonder how a plain egg can have so much character. Jessica was guided in this field by her mentors, puppeteers Philip Mitchell and Michael Barlow. The show is slick, ingenious and hilarious. It is extremely saucy and suggestive, without nudity, and does deserve the 15+ recommendation.

It took Jessica three years to develop this side-splittingly funny show, the movements and pace being refined by the director, theatre lecturer, Leah Mercer.

This could well be the show of the Festival, grab it quickly and enjoy one of the best laughs this year