Written by Eilidh Smith

Songs by Rona Johnston

Review by Dominic Corr

Bathed in fury; burning with feminine rage and lyricism; there’s an undeniable thrill in watching a piece of theatre lean into its own fury with such gleeful theatricality, and with newly debuted Witches Corner at The Scottish Storytelling Centre, it does so with a spark that feels both ancient and urgently modern. Encapulus Productions brings this new work to Edinburgh with a swagger that blends gig‑theatre energy (songs written by the incredible Rona Johnston of Mary: A Gig Theatre Show), folklore and a punkish sense of humour, all while tackling the long shadow of Scotland’s witch trials which stains its history.

Rooted in a chapter of Scottish history which smoulders beneath the surface, Witches Corner draws on the stories of the women accused during the witch trials of the late sixteenth century, a period when fear, superstition and political anxiety collided with devastating consequences. These trials, fuelled by confessions extracted under torture and a culture eager to blame women for the ills of the nation, became one of the most notorious episodes of persecution in Europe. The production threads these real accounts through a contemporary lens, inviting the audience to witness how the echoes of those injustices still reverberate in modern attitudes toward women, power and autonomy.

What gives the production its real bite is the ensemble at its core, a group of performers who treat the material not as a series of monologues but as a shared act of conjuring. Lori Stott, Lorna McFarlane, Gracie Spencer, Sydney Mulligan, and Alannah Skellett move through the space with the kind of instinctive cohesion that only comes from a company deeply attuned to one another’s rhythms. Their voices braid together in song, their storytelling overlaps with the ease of friends finishing each other’s sentences, and their shifts between humour, fury and tenderness feel almost telepathic. Each performer brings a distinct spark, yet the magic lies in how those sparks combine, creating a collective presence that feels larger than the sum of its parts. In a show so rooted in shared histories and inherited trauma, this unity becomes its own quiet act of resistance, a reminder that the power of a coven has always been found in its togetherness.

The production’s language is one of its most potent tools. Smith’s writing is sharp, rhythmic and unafraid to mix humour with righteous anger. The script moves from biting satire to lyrical reflection with ease, allowing audiences to grasp the historical weight without feeling lectured. Johnston’s songs, meanwhile, inject the piece with a rebellious pulse, their melodies carrying both defiance and melancholy. The music becomes a kind of spellwork, binding the scenes together with a raw emotional charge.

Visually, the staging is striking. The design leans into bold contrasts, using stark lighting and symbolic props to evoke both the courtroom and the coven. The space at The Scottish Storytelling Centre is used with ingenuity, transforming from intimate storytelling nook to feverish ritual space in a matter of moments. The production’s aesthetic draws from Scottish history without becoming museum‑like, instead embracing a contemporary theatricality that keeps the energy high.

Still, the production is not without its imperfections; a few musical moments could benefit from greater dynamic variation. At times the thematic messaging leans toward the explicit, leaving little room for ambiguity. Yet these minor stumbles do little to diminish the overall impact. The show’s passion is its strength, and its willingness to embrace emotional intensity gives it a vitality that lingers.

What ultimately makes Witches Corner so compelling is its blend of rage and resilience. It is a piece that laughs loudly, sings fiercely and refuses to let history lie quietly. The production becomes a rallying cry, with tears of laughter and fury streaming; a reminder that the stories of Scotland’s so‑called witches are not relics but warnings, and that the fight for justice is as relevant now as it ever was. A bold, heartfelt and invigorating night of theatre.

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