Review: A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg

A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg stars Storme Toolis in her West End debut. It is based on writer Peter Nicholls’ life with his daughter who, like the play’s protagonist, lived with Cerebral Palsy.

It shows the life of married couple Brian (Toby Stephens) and Sheila (Claire Skinner) and their severely disabled daughter, Joe Egg.

It was a very difficult play for me, as a person living with Cerebral Palsy, to watch. It is full of old fashioned and outdated attitudes towards disability and disabled people.

I particularly disliked the character of Brian and the couple’s friends, Freddie and Pam, who were particularly patronising towards Joe Egg, even trying to convince Brian and Sheila to have a ‘real baby.’

Knowing that the play is based on the writer’s personal experiences, I personally sincerely hope that he exaggerated the character of Brian a great deal.

There are moments of real humour in the script, especially Brian’s description of God as a rugby player!

Storme Toolis shows a great talent by playing a character far more severely affected by Cerebral Palsy than she herself is- and manages to steal the show, despite having the least lines to deliver.

A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg is at the Trafalgar Studios, London, until 30 November.