Party Favour at Etcetera Theatre Review
Written by Greta for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Age restriction: 18+, nudity, sexual themes, sexual violence.
There are many relevant themes threaded through Party Favour. In the show, we witness the aftermath of two parties gone horribly wrong, anchored and illuminated by the protagonist’s deliciously dramatic point of view.
In the first party, Fiona has been hired as a children's entertainer for an upscale birthday party in Beverly Hills. In her role as the Plus Sized Party Princess, she’s desperate to win over the birthday girl so to trump her parents’ scepticism. Needless to say, her attempts have disastrous consequences. This timeline is handled well by all the creatives involved, with performer Shelby Corley delivering a particularly memorable interpretative dance over the notes of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Hilarious and well-paced, it makes the show easily followed, and its overall tone is light and breezy.
The second timeline sees Fiona delivering a special afterparty to the birthday girl’s father. To me, this felt like the emotional core of the piece and the reason why the show is so relevant in the first place. Tackling topics such as fatphobia, sexual fetishes, humiliation and exploitation, this strand truly asks us to consider what we’re willing to do for money, and confronts us with how far people can go to assert dominance. Tying these two reflections together are questions of sex, body autonomy, vulnerability and desire, all brought to a horrifying climax by the chilling final sequence. Because of how the two tales are interwoven, these moments of abuse land poignantly without verging into morbidity or pity; rather, they sit – raw and terrifying– at the centre of a show that manages a tremendous light-heartedness throughout.
As an interval of sorts, Corley fully immerses us in our role as party guests by making us play a game with her and awarding some party favours to participants. This section, while playful and enjoyable, stretches a bit longer than necessary and, in my opinion, slightly dilutes the sharp narrative delivery achieved until that point. The ending also feels sudden, and it’s a pity to part so abruptly with a character we’ve come to know and sympathise with so much. Generally, I think the time spent on audience participation could have been put to better use by delving further into some of the main themes outlined above, providing a better-rounded exploration of Fiona’s inner world.
Overall, Party Favour is an enjoyable piece of theatre, crafted by a strong creative team and fully brought home by Corley’s physical comedy and clowning skills. The connection with the material appears genuine across the board, resulting in a production full of heart and amusing awkwardness. The final section could be reworked by giving Fiona more time to wrap up her stories beyond what we currently see and draw her conclusions for the future.
Party Favour plays at Etcetera Theatre from 12-15 May 2026.
★★★.5
