Gunter by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan & Rachel Lemon. Jerwood Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1 to 25 April, 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Alec Brenner.

Gunter by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan & Rachel Lemon. Jerwood Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1 to 25 April, 2024.

4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.

“A splendid Jacobean tale about murder, witchcraft, and a bad, bad man.”

We are in Witchfinder General territory in this tale of witches, women possessed, men abusing women and getting away with murder as well as James 1 dying to burn someone performed by a cast of three and a historian come guitar player all displaying boundless energy, resource and an ability to handle their audience which won them plaudits on the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival and this thoroughly well deserved transfer. The only thing that is puzzling is why the villain of the piece, Brian the Gunter of the title, the richest man in an Oxfordshire village, should be a Scotsman although it does give him a direct line so to speak to King James when he takes his case to the Star Chamber Court. As Gunter does not meet the King it means the same actor can play both so the Scottish accent comes in handy when being royal. What is undeniable is that as well as being funny it is chilling about how people – the patriarchy here because this is a blatantly feminist tale - can manipulate public perceptions. There was no X no social media, no Facebook, no world of e mails or mobile phones but even in the 17th Century hysteria could be created, lies made to appear truth.

The village men play one of those everyone joins in games of football – the play opens with shots of the Ashbourne Shrovetide match still played by the local men although just what date is not clear and one expects by now lionesses will have joined them screened behind the acting area. During the melee, because it was a free for all, Gunter kills two young boys and when their mother accuses him of the murder he in turn accuses her of being a witch. But no plot spoilers. In time the focus shifts to his daughter Anne. As part of his defence he claims she has been possessed. They Gunters were apparently real people but eventually the documents that tell about Anne cease – lost as so many documents are just like e mails today – so nobody knows what happened to her. But a possible ending is suggested with her heading down the river Thames after the StarChamber trial to a better future while Gunter goes back home and thrives in his village. The programme tells about how it was created, all of which is interesting in itself although maybe showing it to people who love you rather than hate you is not necessarily a good idea as part of the process. People who love one tend not to tell the truth. Audiences should contain everyone not just those who ulululate and rise to their feet like lemmings at the end.

However Gunter is a stimulating, provocative, inventively staged show, one of the most stimulating in ages to appear on any stage, proof that the Edinburgh Fringe can provide space for creative theatre, and leaves no doubt as one of the makers says - “Brian was a proper bastard.”

Cast

Dirty Hare who produced it are a democratic lot so do not give the roles the actors play but list their names in alphabetical order,

Julia Grogan.

Lydia Higman.

Hannah Jarrett-Scott.

Norah Lopez Holden.

However going through the various accounts in the programme of how they put it together one discovers Gunter is played by Hannah Jarrett-Scott.

Creatives

Director – Rachel Lemon.

Designer – Anna Orton.

Lighting Designer – Amy Daniels.

Sound Design – Tom Alford.

Movement Director & Choreographer – Aline David.

Video/Projection – Michelle Alise.

Voice Coach – Rebecca Whitbread.