Fay Jurriaanse explores three different shows seen during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024, all centred around female voices telling mythical stories : Gruoch: Lady Macbeth at Hill Street Theatre; Do Not Look Away: The Story of Medusa at the Scottish Storytelling Centre; and Fit Ye Sayin’ Quine at Greenside
When I think of Edinburgh, I see it as a place where history and myth rule side-by-side. You can scarcely tell a historic tale about this city – or Scotland as a whole – without encountering a fantastical or legendary storyline. This combination may explain Edinburgh’s reputation as a place where so many stories take root, for it is surely the joy of any storyteller to fill in the blank spaces of history and the unsolved mysteries of reality with elements of fiction and fantasy.
During the city’s festival month of August, fact and fiction, history and myth, intertwine within many of the plays performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. These plays use the city’s magical atmosphere to fuel emotional, heartfelt, and gripping stories, and I had the pleasure of witnessing three of them at different Fringe venues. All three performances feature women telling mythical and legendary stories of other women – some known by name, some fictional, some who lived and died long ago, and some who only recently left their mark on the world.
The first, Gruoch: Lady Macbeth, written by David Calcutt and performed by award-winning actor Caroline Burns Cooke, is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth entirely from Lady Macbeth’s perspective (or Gruoch, as she was historically known). Though the story is based on both the original play and what little is known historically about Gruoch’s life, it remains largely a fictionalised version of events.
As I take my seat in the black box theatre at the Hill Street Theatre venue, a dark blue light illuminates the stage, and a soft yet powerful female voice sings a haunting song. The blue light changes to white, and then… there is Gruoch. Creeping out from behind the heavy black curtains, she is curled into herself, clutching her dress in her fist and dragging her feet. She avoids the light on the stage but also seems drawn to it, with curiosity and fear warring before an utterly entranced audience. I, at least, am held in a vice-like grip from the moment Caroline Burns Cooke steps onto the stage – a grip that only tightens with every passing minute of the next hour. What follows this entrance is an incredible performance that weaves fact and fiction together so masterfully that, when it’s over, it’s hard to convince myself this isn’t an intrinsic part of Scottish history. I felt as though this was the true story, and Gruoch’s version had been lost until now. Thanks to the wonderfully written script, I could envision every dark, bloody, heartbreaking, and legendary scene in my mind; but it was Burns Cooke’s performance that brought those words to life in such a way that this play will forever be the first thing I think of when I hear the name Macbeth.
Down the busy Royal Mile, within the historic site of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, the second performance takes a different approach to telling the story of a legendary woman who is by many people perhaps viewed in an unfair light. In a rhythmically charged performance called Do Not Look Away: The Story of Medusa, Lily Asch offers a more multifaceted look at the chosen subject, accompanied by the ominous sound of co-creator Dimitris Kounatiadis’ music. In what can be described as a lecture-style theatrical experience, Asch explores not just history and mythology but also art history and feminist theory.
As the performance begins, Asch asks her audience to cover their faces with their hands and imagine a statue. She describes the statue in detail, helping us build the image she wants us to see as a means of introducing the different players in this story. Over the next hour, she examines the story of Medusa as if it were a statue, scrutinising every angle and hopping from one point of view to another, laying out every piece of the puzzle that is Medusa. Through this thorough explanation, we are faced with the devastating truth that Medusa was always innocent, a mere mortal trapped under the power of the Gods. We learn that throughout history perspectives can change, and what was once considered monstrous can now be seen as a sign of resilience and beauty. “Playing with perspectives” is what Asch calls it. And so, as she asks us to cover our faces once more at the end, the statue we imagine this time indeed looks much different than before.
The third performance is located at the other end of the Royal Mile, hidden within the Greenside venue. It is a one-woman show titled Fit Ye Sayin’ Quine, which truly embraces the magical mythical culture of Scotland. Written and performed by Ailsa Shepherd, who previously brought this debut play to the Fringe in 2023, it features her as Ava, a young woman who has recently come home to sort through her grandmother’s belongings after her passing. As she does this, she shares her journey of nostalgia with the audience, fondly recounting childhood memories and retelling the folklores and myths her Granny introduced her to.
Set in a very intimate space with room for perhaps twenty chairs, there sits a slightly raised small square stage. A soft light falls on the round rug covering it, decorated with various knick-knacks. I settle in as I hear a beautiful, melodic voice sing, and the character Ava steps in front of me. She smiles softly at the people before her, and I can’t help but smile back, instantly feeling at ease. Then she introduces herself, and for the next fifty minutes, I am witness to a love letter to Scotland and womanhood. Ailsa Shepherd teaches her audience about the wonders of Scottish culture and its matriarchs through song, new writing, and poetry. She seamlessly incorporates Doric and Scottish language to strengthen the authentic voice of her piece, which blends beautifully with the mystical, mysterious atmosphere she establishes as she tells us about Scotland’s many magical creatures—selkies, kelpies, and more.
When it ends, it feels as if I love Ava’s late Granny just as much as she does, for her words have brought this woman to life in such a way that I am convinced she was in the room with us the entire time. The play was heartfelt and heartbreaking. Mythical and truthful. Wonderful.
Featured image (top): Ailsa Shepherd: Fit Ye Sayin’ Quine
Gruoch: Lady Macbeth at Hill Street Theatre; Do Not Look Away: The Story of Medusa at the Scottish Storytelling Story; and Fit Ye Sayin’ Quine at Greenside. All presented as part pf the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024. See www.edfringe.com
Fay Jurriaanse took part in the Total Theatre Artists as Writers 2024 programme, which was delivered June to August 2024, in collaboration with Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.