★★★★★
The history of Witchcraft in the U.K. has been sanitised over the last four centuries. The brutal executions of women (and some men) by the Crown, fuelled by paranoia, misogyny, and the dominance of religious fervour, has been replaced with the absurdity of pointed hats, broomsticks and ‘toil and trouble’. This is where storyteller Natalie Nardone steps in. In her brilliant and illuminating show, she manages to redress the balance (no easy task) and restore dignity and humanity to women who were tortured and murdered by the state.
Natalie’s extensive research serves as the basis for vivid stories of real women who were put on trial, she embodies them, you get a sense of the reality of the torture, which is incredibly powerful and unlike any other show on the subject.
Her skill as a performer allows her to bring light and shade throughout, letting us catch our breath from the darkness and imbuing moments of humour and reflection.
There is also accountability for the brutality of the Witchcraft Act and James VI’s disturbing obsession with slaughtering women.
You come away from Natalie’s show with a new perspective on what happened to women centuries ago, but with the understanding that women are still persecuted around the world. It is a timely, and essential piece of storytelling that deftly entertains, educates, and provokes.
