Nessie
★★★★☆ Myth-buster
The Studio: Fri 28 Mar – Sat 5 Apr 2025
Review by Sophie Good
Nessie is visiting the Studio Theatre this week in the world premiere of a new musical co-production from Festival Theatres and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, which challenges the myths and legends around Scotland’s best known mysterious creature.
This is also the first musical from a new commissioning hub, aimed at nurturing Scottish musicians and writers, and to support the creation of new Scottish musicals. And it works.
The book, music and lyrics by Glasgow-based Shonagh Murray, are a testament to the Scots-based talent that has been brought together to create a show full of folky tunes and with an ethereal feel. The small cast create a well-crafted and appealing show for families under Beth Morton’s direction.
Alyson Orr (Heather the Heron), Keith Macpherson (Oggie the Otter), Eden Barrie and Louis Newman (Nessa), and Caitlin Forbes (Moira). Pic: Andrew Perry.
Nessie breathes new life into the old legends and combines it with an important environmental message for today’s young people.
Nessa (Eden Barrie), as she prefers to be called, lives on the banks of Loch Ness with her adopted family, the utterly cuddly Oggie the Otter (a charming Keith Macpherson) and friendly Heron Heather (versatile and warm Alyson Orr). All is peaceful in their gentle world except that Nessa wonders where she might have come from and where her ancestors might be.
Meanwhile, Caitlin Forbes’ budding biologist, Mara, is keen to find out everything about the natural world and ends up face to face with the living legend who turns out not to be a monster after all.
an ensemble effort
There is more going on in the outside world too, a mysterious fog created by climate change – while Mara’s mum Emma (Orr), is fighting to keep their much needed hydroelectricity plant open. Mara is also thwarted by local lad Ally (Louis Newman) who makes life at school hard for her, but learns his lesson in an important way.
This is very much an ensemble effort, with all cast members playing multiple roles and instruments to hold things together seamlessly.
Alyson Orr (Heather the Heron), Eden Barrie (Nessa) and Keith Macpherson (Oggie the Otter). Pic: Andrew Perry.
The performers and their puppet counterparts are harmonious and natural, Barrie in particular embodies Nessie so sympathetically that they are one creature. Puppet designer and maker Ella Mackay has done an impressive job at creating realistic and charming creatures. Nessie herself being a perfectly sized blue green sea creature with a kind face – which contrasts well with the souvenir style stereotypes that are sold locally.
Oggie the Otter is especially quirky with his constant building of a tower, a damn or a bridge, he can’t quite decide. Even the costumes of the puppeteers have been carefully matched to their puppets with a costume design by Natalie Fern. The ability of the puppeteers to embody the characteristics of their animal puppets is a testament to the support from movement director Sasha Harrington and Puppetry Coach Ross MacKay.
Fern also brings us a versatile set design which represents the various locations of the Loch and village that is flexible and simple but evocative. The scenery really comes to life during Nessie’s lovely underwater lament The Same as Me where lighting designer Peter Fernell creates a glow in the dark effect, and children in the audience are given fishes to wave and bubbles blow across the audience. It’s a real treat.
audience interaction
The songs too are very enjoyable – the multi-talented cast also playing the instruments needed to bring the folky score to life and it has a home grown, melodic feel throughout. Emma Donald provides extra fiddle at times, and the actors all fill the stage with their sound, Louis Newman’s box percussion is very effective and the sound design by Pippa Murphy ensures it’s all well balanced.
Aimed at children six and over, Nessie runs at well over an hour without an interval so its suitability would depend on a young person’s willingness to stay still – but there is plenty to captivate them, and a small bit of audience interaction. More opportunities to interact would definitely have been welcomed by younger audience members.
Caitlin Forbes (Moira) and Louis Newman (Allie). Pic: Andrew Perry
After the show, all are invited to meet the creatures up close and many clamour to get a closer look. For the more sensitive audience member, it’s a very gentle production – there’s nothing to scare child younger than six and no real ‘monster’ to fear.
Nessie is a musical with lots to spark the imagination and a strong cultural link from past ideas and cliches to a future thinking community in Bruachness who come to support the much needed hydro power that the loch can create.
The young audience will most likely focus on the non human characters but the storyline of the village and it’s future renewable energy source gives the adults something to think about too. It’s one for the whole family to enjoy and treasure.
Running time: One hour and 20 mins (no interval)
Studio Theatre, The Studio, 22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL.
Fri 28 Mar – Sat 5 Apr 2025
Wed – Fri: 7pm; Sats: 1.30pm & 6pm; Sun: 1.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
See here for seven year-old Frida’s review of Nessie: ★★★★★ Wonderful.
Keith Macpherson, Eden Barrie, Alyson Orr and Louis Newman. Pic: Andrew Perry.
ENDS
