A captivating celebration of feminine history in Edinburgh
Do you ever wonder about influential women in Scotland’s history who don’t get the recognition they deserve? Monumental by F-Bomb theatre takes the form of a walking tour, as we watch five individual women come to us through time to tell their stories at some of Edinburgh’s most notable and historic spots. This show is both educational and inspiring, both in performance and production, with a fully female team from direction by Emily Ingram to the five different writers* each getting the opportunity to share their craft. This show celebrates women of all kinds it can in theatre and history.
The tour begins with a brief education on the proportion of female statues in Edinburgh compared to men and, shockingly, animals, across the capital. The walking tour element of this show took shape with each woman’s story being further contextualised with the surrounding scenery. With just some examples being Clara Marguerite Christian, the first black female student at Edinburgh University, who told her story by Bristo Square in the heart of the Edinburgh University Campus. Maggie Dickson shared her story with us outside a pub fittingly named after her, and by the sight of her unsuccessful hanging, and Elizabeth Wiskemann, a journalist during World War II, who shared her message by the holocaust memorial in Princes Street Gardens. My only critique of this structure is that at points the walks between scenes can feel to drag, however, this is only natural with a structure this specific; Our tour guide, Sally Quinn, makes an effort to keep the audience engaged with thinking prompts relevant to the scene just watched.
With the elements of theatre being stripped to the backdrop of nature and nothing more, the six actresses telling these historic stories have a more substantial job commanding the attention of the audience than usual, and that they do. A notable standout performance is by Laverne Edmonds as Elizabeth Wiskemann, an English journalist who helped spread the word about the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis during the Holocaust and went on to become the first female chair of a subject at Edinburgh University. Emery Shaffer’s writing, combined with Edmonds’ warm maternal air, seeps into each fold of your brain and bleeds emotion into your heart. We are told a powerful story of advocating for people in hardship, even if you are not directly affected.
Another standout performance is done by Layla Rozelle. After multiple heartbreaking expositions, we are left on a note of hope with the story of Bessie Watson, the youngest female suffragette AND the youngest female bagpipe player, at the age of only 9. We learn of her triumphs in pipe playing and her passion for advocating for her fellow women, sharing a heartwarming story of being so young yet having the power to make such a difference. Rozelle brings a childlike wonder yet hearty strength that is palpable and inspiring, and she sends us off with a traditionally Scottish bagpipe performance.
The other four actresses deserve their flowers just as much. Samuela Noumtchuet, Brooke Walker and Cara Wilson each bring a power to their stories full of fervour and soul and do proud the stories of the historic women they are portraying; there was not a disengaged ear in the audience.
F-Bomb Theatre prides itself on creating a platform for women to tell their own stories rather than being an accessories to men’s, and Monumental does exactly that. As a young woman, each of these inspirational stories will hold its place in my mind.
Monumental was performed as part of the Edinburgh900 Celebration.
*Jaïrus Obayomi, Kirin Saeed, Rachel O’Regan, Emery Schaffer, and Hannah Low