The show opened with a chorus of voices singing to the tune of the Wellerman sea shanty, cheekily welcoming the audience to a 5-star worthy fringe show. They were not joking. Nine talented performers, all students from Acting Coach Scotland, brimmed with vitality and energy as they brought to life the stories of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two famous female pirates from the eighteenth century.
Very much an ensemble production, written and directed by Jake Norton, following a devised rehearsal process, the show required each actor in the cast of nine to take on multiple roles. This helped the narrative progress fluidly and allowed every performer to stand out as a named historical figure. At times, the casting crossed traditional gender lines, raising the question of how many other female pirates or non-conformists have been forgotten by history.
The narrative highlighted similarities in how Bonny and Read were allegedly raised. Both were presented as being disguised as boys as young children, experiencing early freedoms which were retracted as they matured into the societal expectation of being polite young ladies. Both were genuine historical figures, together forming part of the crew of Jack ‘Calico’ Rackham. The women have also become the subjects of rumors, myths and legends. To dissect the issue of legend versus fact, the fast-paced show used the character of Phillippe, the Fringe Fact Checker, employed to ensure any show with a historical subject is at least 70% accurate. His role allowed for commentary on the difficulty of information surviving to the present day, emotional interpretations of the past and objective truth. Eventually he was welcomed into the show as an actor, where he experienced first-hand the power of drama and historical reenactment.
Phillippe could have scolded the actors for historical inaccuracies in costume, however everything worn fit the tone of the production, with a cohesive Renaissance-fair aesthetic. For a student production, the costumes were extensive, with wigs, tricorn hats, poet shirts, and a handful of knee-length frock coats.
Witty and fast-paced, the dialogue had the audience howling with laughter, but the biggest joy was the extremely dynamic staging. Norton made full use of the proscenium stage, with wooden boxes, trunks and ropes moved frequently by the cast to create locations such as taverns and ships. In a particularly ingenious decision, each actor carried a small LED light. These were raised throughout the show for creative effects, from spotlighting someone while speaking, to creating the effect of a dark night filled with stars. Every good pirate story would be incomplete without a sword fight, and the acting students delivered, with polished and convincing stage combat.
The cast of up-and-coming actors is brimming with enthusiasm and potential, and it is a joy to watch a group of people who are passionate and confident in their craft. This show could easily inspire a viewer to learn more about the history of piracy, or simply provide an hour of swashbuckling entertainment. It definitely is an example of the Edinburgh Fringe at its best.
Sisters of the Seas ran from 7th-29th August at the Annex at theSpace in Symposium Hall.
Image courtesy of Acting Coach Scotland
Theatre Scotland 
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