Piskie @ Summerhall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Piskie is a brilliant new play, both written and performed by Lucy Roslyn and directed by Roslyn and Jamie Firth. Unlike most shows, I went into this completely blind so was surprised to walk into a lecture theatre in Summerhall to what appeared to be a lecture by Dr Ouida Burt. At the start of this lecture, Burt, a psychologist promises to take the audience on an exploration of fantasy versus reality through three case studies.

The setting of the play really makes it, the fact the audience are in a real lecture theatre helps the atmosphere of the piece. Whilst Burt leads the audience into a false sense of security, it soon becomes apparent that this isn’t warranted as the supernatural soon becomes the reality. Memories of her father and her imaginary childhood friend, as Dr. Burt explores the different types of parasomnia, it soon becomes apparent that this is something which has personally affected her.

Roslyn’s performance within this piece is outstanding, she performs the role with an appropriate level of ‘dryness’ as Dr Burt is described somewhat accurately by her unpleasant head of department.

I highly recommend this underrated show, it is a speedy hour, but I would happily sit through double the length of this piece, if I had any criticism, I would have liked for some parts of the show to dial up the level of creepiness, there are some genuinely unnerving points where there is nowhere to hide, but with a longer show this could be developed more.

Piskie plays at the Cairns Lecture Theatre at Summerhall in Edinburgh.