How far would you go to get everything you wanted? Would you sign your soul away to the Devil? How would you act as the fated day arrived and you had to say goodbye to everything you knew and loved? Questions such as these taunt Jim, his son Mark and his (ex) daughter-in-law Pearl as Jim finds himself in hospital with only a few days to live.
In struts the Devil: proud, blunt, and a sucker for the dramatic. In exchange for his soul, the Devil offered Jim a lifetime of success and fortune as a writer. But those who make a deal with the Devil, often live (or die) to regret it. From the minds of Freya McCall and the Edinburgh University Theatre Company, Sins of the Mother is a story of deceit, regret, and the lengths you will go to for family.
Though a cast encompassed entirely of university students, Sins of the Mother was performed with the utmost professionalism, not just from the actors on stage but also behind the scenes, to deliver a truly spectacular show. Throughout the show, Molly Gilbert consistently outperformed in her role as the Devil, with both emotional depth and plentiful personality, creating the ultimate misunderstood villain. Alongside her, Eve Nugent (Pearl), Michael Butler (Jim), Rae Webb (Darcey) and Freya McCall (Mark) brought to life each of their characters so vividly you’d easily assume they were professional actors.
A completely original play, Sins of the Mother is a very innovative and impactful storyline, which hooks you throughout and shocks you with twists and turns. To match is a well thought out script that takes you on a rollercoaster from moving moments to dramatic scenes of conflict and justice. Additionally, the use of lighting and music is perfectly crafted to reciprocate the tone of the performance and its characters’ emotions, making the play incredibly impactful.
Overall, the wonderfully delivered trickery of Sins of the Mother makes for a very impressive Fringe debut for writer and director Freya McCall.
Sins of the Mother had their last show on 10 August.
Image provided to The Student by Sins of the Mother