Arcana
★★★★☆ Fine artistry
Assembly Roxy (Venue 139): Mon 17 – Mon 31 Aug 2026
Review by Bri Boehm
Arcana, by Fay Guiffo at Assembly Roxy, is a beautiful musical about empire, revolution, and finding ones own voice; despite its Edinburgh-based team, the roots of this production reach beyond Scottish soil and into times and places far and wide.
In Guiffo’s fantastical coming-of-age story, the emperor’s daughter Arcana struggles to find her own voice, suppressed under the hand of her father. But as the voices of the people rise and she connects with the history of the land, she must connect with the music inside of her in order to find herself and find her home again.
Arcana by Fay Guiffo. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
This is a delicate, but deep display of Edinburgh excellence, with Guiffo, the French Cameroonian violinist and cross-disciplinary artist, performing as Arcana and co-directing with Jaïrus Obayomi.
Even before the show begins, as the audience steps beneath the looming arches of Roxy Central, the immersive, sensory elements of the show wrap around them. A soundscape of nighttime nature, designed by Nik Paget-Tomlinson and engineered by Dave Waugh, offers a soothing and unexpected auditory sensation.
Paired with Jamie Wardrop’s beautiful visual artistry projected upon the backdrop, the dark, cavernous theatre seems to transform into a cave, or a cocoon, or an underground tunnel. As the show begins, the visual spectacle and beautiful musical performances that emerge are a launch into a blinding, beautiful sunlight.
cross-cultural complexity
Guiffo sparkles on the stage with confident movement, directed by Hannah Venet, and bold storytelling prowess. Her violin-playing, of course, is the star of the show, and the music is enchanting. She navigates the multi-media, cross-cultural complexity of the production with grace, weaving the many strings of artistry into a harmonious tale.
The story at hand is a bit cumbersome with world-building, and its abstracted, non-linear approach of telling is at times hard to comprehend. There are so many themes at play – an orchestra of artistic visions and cultural references and stylistic forms of performance – that the art at times obfuscates the narrative. But this obfuscation is not so total that the story is incomprehensible, at least not to those who have had their morning coffee before this early performance, and the intentions and message echo long past bows.
Arcana is a gorgeous, dreamlike piece full of beautiful work made by talented local theatre makers, and a melodic tonic against the hectic streets of Edinburgh this Fringe.
Running time: 55 minutes (no interval).
Assembly Roxy (Central), 2 Roxburgh Place EH8 9SU (Venue 139).
Monday 17 – Monday 31 August 2026.
Daily (Not 24): 10am.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Fay Guiffo website: fayguiffo.com
Facebook: @fanny.guiffo
Instagram: @arcana_liveshow
Instagram: @fayguiffo
Linktree: @fayguiffo.
Arcana by Fay Guiffo. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
ENDS
