A wild, witchy blend of past and present feminist struggle.
“Bob’s your uncle, Fanny’s a witch!” runs the refrain of the amateur witchfinders in Encapulus Productions’ play Witches Corner. It’s an unabashedly feminist telling of a local, historical story with universal themes of the struggle of women to be heard by a patriarchal society that will do all it can to keep them silent.
The Pittenweem Witch Trials of 1704 isn’t a story many people will know well, although it’s easy enough to guess – women falsely accused, outsiders turned into scapegoats, and a boy who lied getting away scot free. But through Eilidh Smith’s script we examine the depth behind historical fact, introducing the brash Beatrice Layng (Sydney Mulligan), the first accused; the clinical (and sadistic) Patrick Cowper (Alannah Skellett), the minister who led the hunt; and the desperate Janet Cornfoot (Gracie Spencer), throwing herself to the mercy of people who would never believe her. She also links it with the modern day through a present-day Pittenweem girl (Lori Stott) and her grandmother (Lorna MacFarlane), who both uncover the story of the past and relive it.
The ensemble cast alternate roles throughout the play between victims and perpetrators, comedy and deep grief, set to songs composed by Rona Johnston. The play thrives when it lives at the extremes of these emotions. The amateur witchfinders previously mentioned (played by a foul-mouthed Lorna McFarlane and an effortlessly funny Sydney Mulligan) had the audience roaring with some audience interaction in demonstrating witchfinding techniques – Alannah Skellett’s song as Father Cowper had a sinister, sexual energy – and Gracie Spencer’s final solo song as Janet was tear-jerking and powerful. However, the play sometimes struggled to bridge the gap between the high and low points, with some scenes not quite hitting their comedic marks.
It also felt like the play was full of characters and events, and perhaps could have been stronger by focusing on just 2 or 3 stories of victims, allowing us more time with them – Sydney Mulligan late in the play had a great monologue as a beautiful girl, cast aside and eventually hunted once no longer desired – but I don’t ever think we heard her called by her name in the script, nor did she interact with the other characters.
The production was kept moving throughout by atmospheric on-stage music from the 5 cast members and seamless costume changes. The symbolism of the crosses hanging one by one on the backdrop as each woman fell victim to the hunt was simple, but hung as a constant reminder of the village’s loss.
Witches Corner is a rollercoaster of a story that, despite a touch of girlboss-feminism slant, forces recognition of the suffering of women for nothing more than being themselves. In 1704 and in 2026, in Pittenweem and across the country, witches need to stick together.
This show has finished its run. Find more at the Scottish Storytelling Centre here – https://www.scottishstorytellingcentre.com/