REVIEW: Eggs Aren’t That Easy to Make at Riverside Studio 30 March - 12 April 2026
'Claire and Lou have real chemistry, and their love for each other feels easy and authentic. Of course, for a lesbian couple, there’s one thing missing in their quest ...' ★★★★
The opening to this show is a rapid and humorous romp through a decade, as Claire (Rachel Andrews) becomes best friends with Dan (Tom Kingman), and where Claire falls in love with Lou (Esther Carr) and Claire’s best friend, Dan, meets and connects with Naomi (Sophia Rosen-Fouladi). This ensemble works gorgeously together as scenes easily meld into another with a subtle change in sound, music, or lighting. With a fluffy, large carpet and globe-shaped lamps above, the staging is flexible. Sound (Arianna Munoz) and lighting (Zoe Beeny) beautifully create the atmosphere in a sometimes frenzied and hilarious opening.
As the inital pace slows, Claire and Lou make a decision to have a child, despite the many ways they feel that their lives would change. It’s not always clear what compels them in this direction, other than that they both seem to have a desire for this. It is evident that Claire and Lou have real chemistry, and their love for each other feels easy and authentic. Of course, for a lesbian couple, there’s one thing missing in this quest: sperm. In one of the most poignant scenes, they realise the challenges of finding the right donor, and what characteristics they may prioritise over others. Queue Dan.
Dan, who is a bit too excited to be a ‘baby daddy’, takes the role earnestly. His character is one of the main sources of comedy, through his excited intensity, but also the key challenge in this piece. He causes tensions with Lou, who wants Claire to confront him about his behaviour. Kingman creates a character whom you can sympathise while also seeing how ridiculous he is in his zealousness.. Sophia Rosen-Fouladi doubles in a couple of scenes as Laura (Spanish pronunciation), the yoga instructor who knows all things pregnancy, and brings a good sense of comic timing with that role. Even the mention of the character and her ‘knowledge’ seem to elicit laughter in later scenes.
This is an enjoyable show that resolves easily enough as people see the good intentions of others in this situation. Ultimately, this (imagined) baby would be well-loved. It is good to see stories of LGBTQ couples wanting to raise children and hetero couples supporting their desire. Light and breezy in comparison to plays on a similar topic, this is an easy watch - perhaps “Eggs over easy” would be a more apt title.
Written by Marie Telnikoff
Performed by Rachel Andrews, Esther Carr, Tom Kingman, Sophia Rosen-Fouladi,
Directed by Lauren Tranter
Stage Manager: Carys Lester
Lighting Designer: Zoe Beeny
Sound Designer: Arianna Munoz
