Pigeons have been a symbol of peace, love, and freedom – but what about when they are trapped and alienated? All the way from Cork, Ireland, Oh!Scare Wilde Productions presents The Pigeon Factory, an original dark comedy written and performed by Aaron O’Neill. Within this hour-long play, we witness how a grotesque ‘family’ runs reluctantly, and its gradual disintegration.
This piece is, with no doubt, one of the most powerful ones at this year’s festival. O’Neill’s portrayal of Walden — the protagonist — is outstandingly brilliant. Walden is one of the many who have suffered from the major political and economic shifts in human history. He used to be one of the oppressed, the weak, and the lower rung of society. However, the duality of Walden adds to his charm, as his past trauma somehow catalyses his growing, twisted mind. O’Neill’s acting precisely captures this two-sided feature — endowing the stage with a distorted, unnatural energy which suits the dark element of the production perfectly.
The creative use of props and multimedia equipment on stage successfully lifts the atmosphere of the room, strengthening the ambience of the play’s dark, unsettling tone. The four pigeons are made of bendable wires, appearing abstract and troubling. The wife is portrayed in a similar manner, cleverly creating an uncanny valley effect and unnerving the audiences. Throughout the show, some black-and-white clips are projected onto the entirety of the stage background. These videos, with a style of ‘found footage’, greatly enhance the oppressive atmosphere.
For a dark comedy, the play falls short on its comedic side, focusing more heavily on bleaker themes. Nevertheless, it is still a masterpiece of theatre.
Overall, The Pigeon Factory is a treat for those fancying a thrilling theatre experience. While audiences gasp at the madness of the protagonist, they should also wonder: isn’t the world outside of Walden’s home a bigger, more established madhouse?
The Pigeon Factory is running until 30 August at Jelly Belly at Underbelly Cowgate. Buy tickets here.
Image by Marcin Lewandowski, provided to The Student for press use.
