Eat the Rich (but not maybe not me mates x) - 9 out of 10
JFR Productions
TICKETS: Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x) | Adelaide Fringe
Holden Street Theatres have struck gold, scouring the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival to bring Adelaide audiences the award-winning
hit Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x). Produced by Jasmyn
Fisher-Ryner and directed by Tatenda Shamiso, this razor-sharp solo
comedy by Jade Franks dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and often painful clash
between class and aspiration.
At its centre is another Jade, a working-class Scouser whose
life takes an unexpected turn when she swaps her soul-draining call centre job
in Liverpool for Cambridge University. As the show cleverly explores, getting
in doesn’t mean feeling like you belong. Between balancing her frowned upon cleaning
job and keeping up with the privileged, polished world of her peers, Jade’s
journey becomes one of both self-discovery and survival in a system that was
never built for her.
Franks’ performance is nothing short of electric. With a
thick, unapologetic Scouse accent, she moves seamlessly between characters,
from Jade to the upper-crust Cambridge crowd, each rendered with precision and
comic flair. She’s a deeply physical storyteller, conjuring vivid imagery that
transports the audience straight into the UK’s class divide, from her dreary
call centre space to Cambridge’s corridors.
While Eat the Rich… bursts with comedic
energy, it also delivers a biting social commentary on privilege, identity, and
self-worth. Beneath the outrageous laughter lies a complex truth: the social
barriers that keep the working class on the outside looking in. Amidst the
absurdities of modern Britain, Jade’s journey is lifted by moments of optimism,
buoyed by the call-centre wisdom of her co-worker, who believes that maybe,
just maybe, anything is possible.
In quintessential Fringe style, the staging is simple: a
lift-top table packed with delightful surprises, a rolling stool, and an old,
corded telephone that somehow receives texts and emojis. The minimalism
challenges the audience to suspend disbelief and revel in the creativity that
this kind of storytelling demands.
Witty, bold, and brilliantly performed, Eat the Rich… is a sparkling satire that manages to be both hilarious and heartfelt – a celebration of resilience and a sharp jab at the classism that quietly underpins modern society.
- Andrew Broadbent
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