The Egg Shack is an immersive theatre show made by Red Herring Productions, commissioned by Landmark Theatres and funded by Arts Council England. The project involves a social space – a functioning cafe – where audience members become familiar with each other and the cast. From here, they are invited to explore the carpark beyond and to step around and inside a series of vehicles and experience a snapshot of lives – on the road, in a pickle, or waiting for something…

This show was developed from a previous performance I created in 2011, when working as Assistant Director for the New Vic Theatre in Stoke on Trent. This new scaled-up project was co-created with a creative team based in Devon. However, I led on the overall shape of the project including the audience’s journey, as small groups navigated a collection of varied experiences within the overall show. I also worked alongside Emma Williams as Outside Eye to steer the overall direction of the show.

This project was an opportunity for Red Herring to develop opportunities for local people to take part in our work and I led on the engagement programme. We had conversations with people who identified with vehicles and the lure of the open road. These influenced the development of characters and storylines and some audio recordings were used within the show itself. We held workshops and I trained a group of 10 locals to join the community cast as members of the Egg Shack staff.

I performed in one of the carpark pieces as Carol Cooper, a primary school teacher who has lost two pupils at the end of a school trip, with the audience cast as fellow Year 6 class members, given full permission to be as rowdy or supportive as they wished.

We are in discussion with the Landmark who are keen to support us in touring the project in 2025-6.

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Creative Team

Concept Creation: Paschale Straiton

Producers: Kim Tilbrook and Fiona Fraser Smith

Engagement Programme: Paschale Straiton

Devising Performers: Donald Craigie, Fiona Fraser Smith, JJ McColl, Estere Slare, Paschale Straiton, Kim Tilbrook

Designer: Jasmine Fessenfelt

Sound Designer and performing Stage Manager: Ed Jobling

Writing Facilitator: Callum Mitchell

Outside Eye: Emma Williams