Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

Forget the Christmas-show tag. Forget the children. Just go and see this wonderful play like you would any other. I defy any adult to leave this latest Stuart Paterson masterpiece without a tear in their eye. The kids, of course, are made of sterner stuff, but even they sit absolutely spell-bound throughout the two hours of chilling drama. Situated somewhere between a particularly sinister Midsummer Night’s Dream, and an extra-redemptive King Lear, Peterson’s play takes us deep into the forest to face the blackest and bleakest of evils.
Every aspect of Hugh Hodgart’s production is first rate, be it Billy Boyd and Caroline Devlin in lead roles they were born to play, Irene Macdougall excelling herself as the witch and stepmother, Savourna Stevenson’s stunning live score, or Greg Smith’s haunting design..