All I knew about Mother, Maiden and Crone was that it was a show about the witches from Macbeth but if were in the queer scene in Edinburgh, what came next over 60 minutes was a true delight.
The show follows Mother, the in house drag queen of Limbo Bar & Kitchen, it’s important we emphasise that. Also there is Maiden, a bimbo shot boy and Crone a klepto DJ. These colleagues face terrors much worse than them; hungry hens out on a hen do at the Limbo.
Playing Mother and being a real scene stealer is Lewis Gemmell. Gemmell plays Mother with an effortless charisma, making hosting a night as a drag queen seem like light work. With incredibly comedic timing and an attitude and grasp of comedy that are enticing to watch, Gemmell really is someone the audience wants more and more of. Gemmell also directs this piece, managing to make the scene transitions speedy and slick, good use of space and making all three sides of the audience feel included incredibly well, Gemmell shows a strong ability to tell stories effectively and get the best out of his performers.
Ewan Burns is Maiden. Burns’ Maiden is a joy to watch, creating a character that broadcasts they have more to them than meets the eye. Incredibly funny and with a stage presence to die for, Burns plays Maiden excellently. Burns also wrote the piece, showing a strong admiration for the Edinburgh queer scene and managing to write characters that are fascinating and truly believable.
Fin Watt plays Crone. Fin possesses an effortless confidence on stage and feels like he has been doing this on stage for decades. More comedic timing and understanding of how an audience consumes a piece is present here. Watt’s Crone is someone who gets on the audience’s good side while also portraying a real sneaky, slimy side that excites and surprises.
Alicia Tryde plays Gazelle. With a few moments to parade around a sign indicating which act of Macbeth I mean Mother Maiden Crone we are witnessing and lots of falling and lying on the floor, Alicia Tryde manages to hold their own and add lots of laughs along the way.
Erin McGivern is McBride, the bride who’s hen do is somewhat ruined more and more as the night progresses. McGivern adds lots of comedic beats throughout the piece, portraying that one girl everyone has seen on the night out that makes everything truly about them at everyone and anyone’s expense.
Zara Kennedy plays Brandi. Kennedy gives sass and energy aplenty, holding her own very comfortably alongside some very big characters on stage. Kennedy’s Brandi is fierce and unfiltered adding nice balance to the show and also helping highlight how different each hen is to one another.
Kennedy Thomson portrays the unable to accept and love himself Layton. Thomson gives a solid performance that makes him unlikeable yet someone the audience routes for to eventually truly discover themselves. Thomson’s Layton also adds another layer to this stellar cast and gives even depth to the unfurling story.
Evie Mortimer is Duffy. Duffy being the runt of the friend group and the butt of every joke could make Duffy forgettable but Mortimer keeps Duffy at the forefront of the viewers’ minds. Mortimer gives laughs and also ensures that the audience truly deeply understands her point of view. Thanks to her portrayal, Duffy does stand apart from the rest of the group, in the story and also on stage.
Delightful costume design by Matthew Harcus and Ewan Burns ensure that each character has distinct flavour and vibe while lovely sound and lighting operation from Ewan Little helps bring each hilarious scene to life.
Overall, this is somehow exactly what I expected and simultaneously not what I was expecting at all. The team here manage to bring to life a show that has the distinct taste of something Shakespearean that also feels incredibly real-life and tangible. The piece is hilarious, raunchy, provocative and emotional; in other words, everything a show at the Edinburgh Fringe should be. Do not miss out.
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mother-maiden-and-crone
Theatre Scotland 
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