Qulture Magazine

Words: LM (Editor)

A last minute decision, and being drawn in by the flyer I was handed while walking past, I decided to give this show about the Occult, a try.

Pete Mitchelson plays an actor who joins a theatre company to get back into acting- the play he is cast in is about an outsider sacrificed in a ritual, and things become all too real when he meets a fan (the directors daughter) who somewhat paralyses him with her airy fairy, pixie-like sex appeal and witchy ways, blending reality and delusion…he struggles to understand what is real and what isn’t (at least that’s how I perceived it).

I found Mitchelson’s acting compelling and well rehearsed. He interacted with the audience in a way that felt surprising but comfortable, not to make fun of people but to fully immerse them in his storytelling. Unfortunately for Pete, some audience members had a little too many before attending the show and after a few disruptions from some very drunk patrons, just as things were getting gripping, he did his best to pull it back together, but not without his annoyance going noticed amongst the crowd. 

This was no fault of his and entirely the luck of the draw when it comes to the time your show happens to be at and where your chosen venue is. I do feel the venue itself could have some better crowd control. I feel like this one man play would do better on a bigger stage and in a venue where it is quieter and better managed in terms of what is expected of the audience. However, I do also understand the limitations and rising costs for a lot of artists and this is exactly why the Free Fringe exists, but there are definitely quieter venues within the roster to choose from.

That said, I did enjoy aspects of being in an dungeon room in Edinburgh’s old underground, while listening to a story about the supernatural and occult. It was somewhat fitting and added to the whole aesthetic of the show.

All in all you cannot fault the acting, or writing  abilities of Pete, who is also a very interesting person if you get the chance to talk with him, as I did briefly after the show. His ability to add some cleverly placed humour in what otherwise might seem like a very strange story, made it relatable and gripping for the audience, even if you don’t know much about rituals and unusual sexual fantasies. Horror is something seriously underrepresented and somewhat  lacking at the Fringe, but this is what Pete and others are trying to rectify.

Playing only three more nights as part of PBHs Free Fringe you can catch it until the 24th August at 9.50pm at Banshee Labyrinth, I highly recommend you do if you like a good mystery and gripping story to end the night on!