Based on MR James’ Story

Directed by Adam Lenson

Death is just around the corner for those who fall foul of Mr Karswell and his peculiar book.

One such man, John Harrington, falls to his death from a tree in the middle of the night, but no one thinks anything suspicious of this. That is, except for his sister, who turns to an expert in the supernatural, and the de-bunking of charlatans: researcher and scholar Edward Dunning.

Spinning MR James’ ghoulish story of the supernatural and occult, this refined and slow-burning adaptation infuses the macabre of James’ tale with the otherworldly talents and branding of the superb Box Tale Soup: theatrical storytellers who specialise in handcrafted puppetry and ingeniously creative manifestations. Under Adam Lenson’s cohesive direction, atmosphere is paramount – and delivered in slow, terror-inducing drips.

Box Tale Soup’s magical marvels in crafting paper and set are legendary, but Casting the Runes excels as their finest piece of acting performances to date. While no earlier production was held solely by the craft or visuals, this new production finds its aesthetic and tone on an even keel with artistic directors Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne’s performances. Christophers turns in a variety of character performances of the many people Dunning encounters along the road – from friendly clerks to librarians, to Harrington’s mournful and determined sister, and to a chillingly enlarged and encompassing puppetry control as Mr Karswell.

The pair have their natural chemistry with one another, but Byrne is offered a degree more time and shared space with the audience as our protagonist, the self-assured Edward Dunning. There’s a weighted arrogance to the role, one of smarm but not-dislike as Byrne carries the story forward. It’s a perfect attitude balance to slowly be chipped away at by the cursed goings-on under the flickering lights, shifting pictures and constant presence that someone else is lurking behind him…

It is also their most seamless production, the choreographed movement as effervescent as the silent shadows that stalk Dunning. The attention to detail is fervent and meticulous, but entirely practical – everything on stage has a purpose besides the awe. And above all the splendour of set design and lighting tweaks, the story is still the paramount passion of the team – an artisanal approach to handcrafted storytelling and theatre.

Box Tale Soup is as integral a part of the Fringe as any circus-tented parties or royal military parades. Their technique and dedication are often unparalleled in creative terms and respect for honest storytelling. Impeccable, and damn-right impressive, Casting the Runes is the perfectly sinister sliver of sophisticated spookery the Edinburgh Festival Fringe requires.