The Kelpie, the Loch and the Water of Life
★★★☆☆ Radio fun
The Royal Scots Club (Venue 241): Tue 20 – Sat 24 Aug 2024
Review by Hugh Simpson
Arkle’s The Kelpie, the Loch and the Water of Life is an ideal mid-afternoon diversion for the last week of the Fringe.
Following on from last year’s Curious Case of Osgood Mackenzie, this is another Wester Ross-set play by Rob Mackean presented as a radio drama, performed script in hand and with live sound effects.
Kelpie the Loch and the Water of Life. The Sound FX table ready for the show. Nothing is pre-recorded. Pic Michael Mulligan.
The title instantly conjures up images of a certain much-praised Scottish play of years past, and its playful nature provides a good indication of what is coming. Mischievous spirits – not just the kelpie, but selkies and the Gille Dubh as well – are much in evidence.
There are also whisky-drinking rural Scots who like to take their time over things but aren’t averse to a bit of craftiness to outwit authority, overly pious but secretly lascivious Kirk elders, and incoming foremen who ‘aren’t very nice’.
It is all performed with a distinctly light touch, and there is considerable interaction between the characters despite the performers holding their scripts.
deceptively serious themes
There are also deceptively serious themes about history, folklore, landscape and belonging being dealt with here. Just as with the Kelpie-inhabited loch, there is more under the surface than first appears.
Hazel Eadie performs the Kelpie with considerable relish and flair, while Brian Neill and Alastair Lawless play a succession of characters with comic nous. Neill’s voice, in particular, is ideally suited to the project. Melanie Mackean authoritatively provides two contrasting characters, while Rob Mackean fills a couple of smaller roles as well as providing the constantly inventive live Foley.
Three stars may seem a trifle stingy for such an enjoyable production, but it has to be stressed that in some ways this is not a fully-realised stage production. As long as you go in knowing the cast won’t be moving around that much, you won’t be remotely disappointed.
Running time: 50 minutes (no interval)
The Royal Scots Club (Hepburn Suite), 29-31 Abercromby Place, EH3 6QE (Venue 241)
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 August 2024
Daily: 2.30 pm
Details and tickets at: Book here
Website: https://arkle-theatre.com
Facebook: @Arkle Theatre Company
Rob Mackean, Melanie Mackean, Alastair Lawless, Hazel Eadie and Brian Neill. Pic Michael Mulligan.
ENDS
