The Last Witch has the last word
Trial and damnation at PFT
The final play to open in this year’s Pitlochry Festival Theatre repertoire was ‘The Last Witch’ by Scottish playwright, Rona Munro.
The play re-imagined the story of a woman who may, or may not, have been called Janet Horne, who in 1727 was burnt as a witch in the Highland town of Dornoch.
This was powerful and erudite drama, set on a simple circular stage designed by Ken Harrison.
Atmospheric lighting and uncanny sound effects promoted the tension of the piece.
The words of the play were its strength, letting the characters speak for themselves.
The story unfolded of a mother and daughter living in poverty but having the strength of
character to influence those all round them.
The mother, Janet Horne, appeared to have control over the elements and all life around her which the neighbours found most disturbing.
This also upset the local minister and the sheriff - they were unable to accept a woman could have such enlightenment without some contact with the devil - in other words, witchcraft.
Janet’s daughter, Helen, her life hampered by deformities to her hands and feet, was
influenced by her mothers power of words and wished she could do all the things her
mother’s imagination conjured up.
The sheriff, new to the area, soon fell under the mother’s charms. But then following a complaint from the local neighbours, Mr and Mrs Begg who believe the mother has caused the sickness in their cattle and failure of crops, the sheiff is compelled to interview the lady.
Together with the local minister, he had no option other than to arrest her and try her for witchcraft. But Janet’s defiance threatened not only her own life but that of her daughter.
Harrowing scenes were acted out at the trial, where Janet was questioned by the minister and the sheriff and asked to renounce her beliefs.
The daughter, wishing to have the support of the supernatural to save her mother, sought help from the Devil himself.
Who is the witch now? Once the Devil agreed to help the daughter, the conclusion became inevitable.
In this PFT production there was a powerful performance by Deirdre Davis as the mother. She had the audience hanging on her every word as she underwent the exhausting physical and mental on stage with the Last Witch anguish of the trial.
Fiona Wood, as Helen the troubled daughter, gave out an air of mysticism.
David Rankine, as Captain David Ross the sheriff, effectively played a man with a questionable past who used his position to satisfy his means, whilst being the tormentor.
Alan Steele and Helen Logan were great playing Douglas and Elspeth Begg, the put-upon neighbours who felt cursed by Janet’s utterances and accused her of witchcraft.
The Last Witch was directed by this season’s resident director, Richard Baron who added his own bit of ‘black magic’ to the closing scene.
The Last Witch runs until October 11, tickets from www. pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com or contact the Box Office on 01796 484626.
www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.comorcontacttheBoxOfficeon01796484626.