14/08/22

The Space on the Mile, Edinburgh

Koi Collective’s debut theatre show is a tight comic thriller, written by Sally MacAlister and directed by Grace Baker. Hannah (Eilidh Barn) is dead, and her friends and sister, Josie (Zoe Isobel Kinniburgh), have gathered to talk, to remember – and to conduct a séance. As you do. Abby (Georgia-Lee Roberts), now living in London, has managed to procure the keys for their old student flat in Edinburgh, and Finn (Amelia Fleur Yayici) has ordered a ouija board kit from Amazon. What could possibly go wrong?

Over the course of the evening, as the girls drink mimosas, snack on Monster Munch and attempt to communicate with Hannah, tensions emerge and intensify. What secret is Charlie (Evie Mortimer) hiding? Why has Lorna (Zara Louise Kennedy) always felt excluded from the group? And whose is the mysterious phone that keeps on ringing but can’t be found?

This is an impressive production, played with absolute commitment and precision by all five actors; there isn’t a weak link. The characters are wonderfully distinct, their interactions compelling and believable – and Yayici, as the boisterous, insensitive Finn, is darkly funny too.

I like the use of video clips to reveal the past: filmed footage of the group at parties or shivering on the beach, reading tarot cards and being daft. This helps to cement the sense of a shared history, letting us see how Hannah’s death has fractured their lives, as well as offering some clues as to what might have happened to trigger her demise.

Crossing the Void is a dynamic piece of theatre, and the team spirit behind the production feels almost palpable. There’s clearly a sense of shared ownership between the writer, director and actors – and this successful collaboration has paid dividends.

Kinniburgh is being replaced from today by Robyn Reilly (because of other commitments). Reilly is joining something very good indeed.

4.3 stars

Susan Singfield