Beautiful, heartbreaking, magical, the words of oppressed women reflected in birdsong, ballads of pain and love told simultaneously, the story of three women simply trying to live purely lead by the belief that hard work brings reward. Grappling with uncomfortable to watch topics, this folk musical somehow balances perfectly between harrowing and beautiful.
Luscinia immerses you into a sisterhood of religious women in the rural Southern States, governed by their prophet Beau. After her sister Daisy-Mae falls in love with the prophet Mela is forced to follow, bringing her to a man whose word is gospel, actions are holy and who has actually himself strayed far from the Lord’s path. Along with Catholic convent runaway Louanne the three women bind together as “sisters in God’s eyes” to support each other through hardship.
This slow-burn musical had me captivated from the start. We entered the theatre to the women braiding each others’ hair and going about their daily work — immediately making you feel as though you had entered into a sacred space. From the second I walked through the theatre doors I was no longer in Edinburgh, but I had travelled back to the great depression in The Southern United States. The score to this musical was enchanting, using minor keys and blasphemous language to convey Mela’s sense of suffocation. Grey Baker’s mesmerising voice brought Mela’s pain to life, and you could truly see Mela’s agony in their eyes.
I left the theatre star-struck. The gut-wrenching final 10 minutes of Luscinia had me shocked and on the verge of tears. The importance of sisterhood really shone through as the women are forced to put aside past pettiness and come together to protect each other. The show’s weakness, for me, were the fight scenes, as the words were searing enough and the acting was powerful enough that the addition of fake blood and stage fighting actually took away from the amazing world-building in the first half.
Luscinia explores themes of sexual assault and miscarriage, but does so with poignancy and reverence — but do consider this before deciding to watch. An incredible folk re-telling of the Philomela myth, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I left.
Luscinia is running until the 28th at Venue 13. Buy tickets here.
Image Credits: Image provided by courtesy of the company.
