one4review | On 15, Aug 2022

‘In the Weeds’ is a poetic and macabre duologue deeply rooted in the landscape in which it was created. Produced by An Tobar & Mull Theatre and Deftly directed by Rebecca Atkinson Lord, it is a tense thriller which plunges you into a mythic world of Scottish island folklore and then violently out again into moments of very messy human reality. The the edges of each world are blurry and disorienting.

The play follows the unlikely relationship between Kazumi; a Japanese scientist searching for a blood-thirsty, but otherwise un-named sea monster and Coblaith; a local woman more at home in water than on land, who has been othered by her community. Water is central to the play. The set is a square is a pool of water surrounded by a walkway of uplit crates, which effectively creates both a cage and a playground for Coblaith.

Carla Langley gives a wonderfully chilling performance of Coblaith, whether telling us ghost stories about Kelpies, or swaying like a basking shark whilst watching Kazumi relate his story, she has a physicality and intensity that is tailor made for horror. Jamie Zubairi is her perfect foil as unquestionably human, awkward and solid Kazumi.

There are so many interesting ideas in this show about the male gaze, human consumption, the madness of grief and fear of the uncontrollable in nature. There is lot squeezed into an Edinburgh hour and there are some things that feel under resolved. I’d love to see the full length version of this play, but this version nonetheless is well worth the watch and has some genuinely horrifying moments.

****

Reviewed by Sarah

Summerhall – Main Hall

13.10 (1hr)

Until 28th Aug (not 22nd)