Mother, Maiden and Crone
★★★★★ Filthy and Gorgeous
theSpace @ Niddry St (Venue 9): Mon 11 – Tue 19 Aug 2025
Review by Marion Geoffray
Mother, Maiden and Crone is Ewan Burns’ writing debut and premieres at theSpace @ Niddry St, led by a strong team of homegrown emerging talents, drag and otherwise.
Directed by Lewis Gemmell and produced by Emma Morgan for Mother Maiden Crone Theatre, this original – and loose in every sense of the word – retelling of the iconic Scottish play chooses to focus on the real queens of the story: the three witches.
Fin Watt (Crone), Lewis Gemmell (Mother) and Ewan Burns (Maiden). Pic: MMC Theatre.
The Weird Sisters here receive a glamorous and queer makeover as colleagues working at Edinburgh’s fictional Club Limbo (or Limbo Bar & Kitchen for the purists), toying with the fate of their customers.
From the start, the energy is electric and infectious. Gazelle, a leopard-clad blonde bombshell (Alicia Tryde), clumsily – yet expertly – greets audience members and ensures that everyone is having a good time (including herself!).
With their infamous opening lines, Mother (Gemmell), Maiden (Burns), and Crone (Fin Watt) make a thundering entrance onto the stage – and with Burns’ sharp, witty twist on the text, it’s fiercely modern and explosive.
real star power
This unholy trinity has real star power: Gemmell has impeccable comedic timing and flawless characterisation; Burns is magnetic throughout, with their physicality and delivery; and Watt’s versatility shines through with both punch and panache.
When an obnoxious hen party crashes into the nightclub demanding to be entertained, what follows is a joyous riot that progressively unravels into an underworld of lip-sync battles, chaos, and tragedy.
Another scene from Mother, Maiden and Crone. Pic MMC Theatre.
Effortlessly led by a perfectly cast ensemble – including bridezilla McBride (Erin McGivern), brat diva Brandi (Zara Kennedy), token gay best friend Layton (Kennedy Thomson), and boring flatmate Duffy – they offer as many opportunities to laugh as to reflect on their misadventures.
A special mention goes to Carla Zoni, who plays Hector, the club owner (a different local drag act makes a guest appearance during the run). In one magical one-liner, they break both the fourth wall and the audience with brilliance.
There’s a clear nod to a Brechtian aesthetic in some of the stage design and Gemmell’s directorial choices – such as the inspired use of placards, actors narrating their actions, deliberate direct address, and the suggestive minimalist set.
well-paced
The entire performance is well-paced, with rapid transitions between acts signalled by effective lighting and underscored by a banging dance playlist orchestrated by Ewan Little.
Matthew Harcus and Burns must have had a lot of fun sourcing and designing costumes for everyone. Each outfit ingeniously encapsulates the essence of the character – Crone’s outfit is a real standout, with all its clever layers and references.
Playfully camp, outrageously bold, and unapologetically provocative, this is a unique and refreshing take on Shakespeare – as well as an honest and heartfelt love letter to Edinburgh drag community and queer culture. It will leave you wanting more.
This is grassroots theatre at its finest and exactly what the Fringe is truly for: a production that takes plenty of risks, owns them, and sees them pay off. Catch them while you can!
Running time: One hour (no interval).
theSpace @ Niddry St (Studio), Niddry Street EH1 1TH (Venue 9).
Monday 11 – Tuesday 19 August 2025.
Daily: 9.05pm.
Tickets and details: Book here on EdFringe.com.
Instagram: @mothermaidenandcrone
A scene from Mother, Maiden and Crone. Pic MMC Theatre.
ENDS
