It’s 1629 in the market town of Peebles. There’s a war on, the harvest has failed, and rumours of witchcraft abound.
The ghosts like to gather on Christmas Eve. A modern-day couple (Jennifer Bunyan, David Bon) settle into their hotel room. They gradually become aware that they are not alone.
In the first act, the ghosts recount their grim stories. Some were convicted of witchcraft because they were childless, or gay, or foreign. Some seek to justify their role in the executions. But in this Peebles, the Devil wears a cassock.
Reverend Syd (Will Tillotson) summons a storm from the pulpit. Examine your souls, my flock. Make a note of who’s absent from the congregation. The devil’s handmaiden has a barren womb. First-time playwright Kath Mansfield knows how to write words that come alive in an actor’s mouth, and Tillotson hypnotises with sombre gravitas. Neve Scott stands out as Isobel Haddock, a young victim who speaks out against the murderous minister with compelling rage.
After the interval, our modern couple join the conversation. They fill the ghosts in on the modern world, covering an assortment of topics – medical breakthroughs, tax-dodging billionaires, self-driving cars. There are some hilarious moments where the hard-or-hearing Betty (Anne Taylor) gets the wrong end of the stick. I would have preferred a more focused discussion here, with fewer topics, discussed in depth and tied into the storyline. There is an undercurrent of conflict between the modern couple, but this isn’t fully explained, and I’d like to see their backstories fleshed out.
The ensemble singing, arranged by Polly Phillips, is hymnlike, melancholy and haunting. Tillotson and Scott, in particular, provide excellent vocal performances. There is some ghostly dance and movement that brings home the restless reality of these characters.
Mansfield conducted detailed historical research to write this play, which is based on real events. There were only sparse details in the town records, so she followed the money. The hangman was paid £10. Ale and bread were provided for the workers. And the schoolteacher’s son got new shoes. Individuals profited from the killings, as did the church.
This is an excellent play, rooted in time and place, that explores a shameful chapter in Europe’s history. It examines corruption and human weakness. It seeks a dialogue with the past, and imagines those whose voices were violently erased. We, who live in uncertain times, should heed this warning from history.
Reviewer: Wendy McEwan
Reviewed: 1st November 2025
North West End UK Rating: