SLAYERS by Corinne Salisbury
★★★☆☆ Intense
Assembly George Square Studios (Venue 17): Tue 18 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Jenny Collins
Corinne Salisbury’s SLAYERS at Assembly’s George Square Studios is an unapologetic middle finger to the manosphere, featuring an undeniably brilliant solo performance from Zoe Hunter.
When single-mother Liane is harassed and humiliated by a misogynistic pick-up artist online, she decides to take boxing lessons with her daughter. At the very least, she and her daughter ought to defend themselves. But as Liane is driven over the edge, it turns out going on the offence is all too easy. The real challenge is what happens next.
Zoe Hunter in SLAYERS. Pic: Brian Hartley.
Locally produced by a woman-led creative team, SLAYERS is loaded with incisive intent. Salisbury smartly draws attention to time and place in her story: Liane is walking in the Meadows near Marchmont when she is harassed, practically a five minute walk from the Assembly Rooms.
It’s an effective and stark reminder that the online manosphere is not just limited to a nebulous space. Salisbury’s writing is executed with energetic direction from Jo Rush, as Laura Hawkins and Nicolette Macleod manage lighting and sound design respectively.
SLAYERS is the debut production from Salisbury’s recently established theatre company Rupture Productions. Their stated aim is to produce contemporary and dynamic Scottish theatre.
The creative vision on display here is absolutely dynamic.
Multi-coloured tech-cables are strewn on stage, or coiled and worn on Hunter’s fists like knuckle dusters. Radio static gets louder and louder in the background as the anxious monologue sparks with urgency. Hunter also manually operates some of the light and sound onstage herself. She magnifies and duplicates her own shadow behind her with a stage-light, or harshly whispers into a corded mic so each breath echoes round the room.
intrusive voice
With the number of characters and voices being represented by Hunter on stage, SLAYERS can at times feel over-produced. The flow of the monologue is often interrupted by the intrusive voice of her inner rage, or the monolithic voice of the manosphere, or the rotating cast of side characters within the story.
Like the tangled mess of cables on stage that Hunter untangles and unspools, it is up to her to make it coherent. Potentially the show is scared to give Liane space to breathe in case it halts momentum. But the play’s charge is truly felt when Hunter, uninhibited, can commit to Liane’s character. A guttural scream at the midpoint pierces the room like an arrow.
SLAYERS is an impactful new work that proves Rupture is a production company to keep an eye on.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Five), George Square EH8 9LH (Venue 17).
Tuesday 18 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily: 12.15pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Rupture website: ruptureproductions.co.uk/
Facebook: @rupturetheatrecompany
Instagram: @ruptureproductions.
ENDS
