The Burnings
★★★☆☆ Dramatic
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge (Venue 7): Wed 5-Sun 3 Aug 2026
Review by Eilidh Sim
The Burnings, presented by Edinburgh Little Theatre at Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge, is an emotional play about the East Lothian witch trials held in North Berwick in the last decade of the 16th Centre.
It follows the true story of folk healer Agnes Sampson, accused of witchcraft, imprisonment and tortured for a confession. It is a story that belongs to over 2,500 other women who were also wrongfully accused of witchcraft during that time.
Marilyn Blyth-Wilson with Amy Mackie. Pic: Paul Murray.
Director Paul Murray makes effective use of his simple staging, comprising a box, which remains in each scene, but used differently in each location depicted, allowing them to remain distinct.
The pacing and tone of the performance create a tense and unsettling atmosphere as Murray keeps a fast and troubling pace, allowing each scene to blend seamlessly into the next and creating anxiety for what is to come; while also drawing back for moments of reflection so the depth of the accusations and punishments can settle deep.
Marilyn Blyth-Wilson is a tragic Agnes Sampson, whose emotions increase throughout the performance, as her desperation to plead her case grows. She captures the nature of a woman whose biggest want is for the men to realise she has done nothing wrong and refusing to give up her pride and confess to the lies being told about her, no matter what. Blyth-Wilson elevates her emotional state when needed, but also creates quiet reflective moments where the severity really hits.
aggressive
The vengeful personality of the infuriated John Young is successfully characterised by Paul Wilson, to show how irrational and credulous Young has become, following his own sorrows. He becomes increasingly aggressive and angry throughout the production as he becomes more active in what is happening to these women. These acting choices allow the true nature of his character to shine through.
Amy Mackie is poignant as Gillies Duncan, also accused and imprisoned on suspicion of witchcraft. Mackie shows her anger and disappointment in her own actions, in addition to the rage towards the men who have done this to her. She isn’t just emotional about the situation, but naive, in contrast to the more level headed Agnes.
Paul Wilson, Marilyn Blyth-Wilson, Amy Mackie and Lee Ian Moffat. Pic: Paul Murray.
The ringleader of those imprisoning and torturing the woman is the sinister Accuser. Lee Ian Moffat brings out the darkness of his character, seen in his hold over John, and his ability to turn any situation into an accusation as he becomes increasingly violent.
Sandy Jack is a narcissistic King, using his status and power to create confessions from false accusations. This is particularly effective when he stands over Agnes as she cries and pleads to him, all while accusing and describing all that he believes she has done.
While the pacing of the show is successful, it becomes bogged down in the repetitive nature of the text, as the accusations and responses are repeated from scene to scene. It might be historically accurate but it often feels as if the play was going in circles. The emotions often get so high that some of the agony comes across forced and pantomime-like, which takes away from the darkness of the story.
potential
The Burnings, which, at 40 minutes, runs at only two thirds of its advertised hour-long slot, still has potential. Maybe with a bigger budget or more time it could dive into the details behind the headlines. As it is, it falls flat by focusing men shouting at each other and torturing women.
That said, the show would definitely benefit from a different venue. Only those in the first couple of rows can see anything that is happening on the floor during the performance.
Running time: One hour (no interval).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge (Studio), 96 George Street EH2 3DH (Venue 7).
Friday 7 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily: 6.15pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Tickets direct from venue: Book here.
Braw Theatres website: brawvenues.com
Facebook: @brawvenues
Instagram: @braw.venues
Lee Ian Moffat, Marilyn Blyth-Wilson and Sandy Jack. Pic: Paul Murray.
ENDS
