George Egg’s Moveable Feast
Review by Iona.
Desperately in need of some witty humour in these dreary times? George Egg’s Movable Feast, a show combining comedy with his unconventionally-made-yet-just-as-delectable cooking is an undoubtedly delightful way to spend a summer’s evening. Held on 14th July, ’21 at The Hub, St. Mary’s, Market Street, Lichfield, where the statue of Samuel Johnson overlooking quaint pubs makes it even more atmospheric, as I walked up the stairs (the obligatory track-and-trace done), it occurred to me that I had never attended any event quite similar before. The summary on the Lichfield Festival brochure looked promising and I was incredibly excited to watch two very different art forms combined in a live show!
Plumes of smoke on stage foreshadowed a sense of exhilaration, as the lights dimmed and George arrived on stage, beaming from ear to ear to greet his audience for the next hour. We were then subject to an emotional rollercoaster, witnessing an incredible variety of skits, sketches and laughs, cleverly interspersed with an assortment of anticlimactic yet somewhat meaningful poetry. We had the collective privilege of learning the all-important life skills involved in making dishes on a variety of vehicles – Virgin trains, cars to a Vespa, using everyday(!) equipment like cement mixers for salad and impact drills for rhubarb compote!
Watching George prepare a wonderful assortment of delectable gastronomical stunts – vegetarian (Laptop-grilled aubergine), fish (Road-line-Burner mackerel) and meat (Cement-Mixer Caesar Salad), using fresh ingredients and machinery (!) interspersed with witty jokes, and yet, perfectly plated dishes were astounding, to say the least. It was a shame being unable to taste the dishes, as in pre-Covid times. However, being allowed to simply look and photograph them was fabulous! It was a pleasure to speak to George after the show, convey my appreciation and grab a few recipe cards.