It’s 1888 and the infamous killer Jack The Ripper is plaguing the streets of White Chapel murdering ladies of the night and harvesting their organs, and with no clue as to who jack is a local female journalist has decided to investigate the murders herself. After coming face to face with the killer she embarks on a dangerous game of cat and mouse and begins to question how far she will go to get the scoop.
The history of Jack the Ripper has always been an area of interest for many people, so there is always a certain risk when it comes to giving the killer a face and dramatizing the gruesome murders. Ripper takes a new route with the story, giving Jack a face and personality yet still managing to skilfully keep his identity hidden and establish the fact that no one truly knew who jack was. Whilst a good chunk of the main plot of the show is fabricated, we still follow the order of killings and the paths taken by the press at the time of the murders, it’s clear some real research has gone into this show.
As someone interested in the history of Jack The Ripper, I was delighted to find the true facts of Elizabeth Stride’s death (played by Rachel Wilkes) and how she had been the only victim not mutilated, the mention of the taunting letters sent to the police along with half a human kidney and the full details of Mary Jane Kelly’s (Louisa Jane) autopsy. I also particularly enjoyed the fact that they use the real name of the police officer Abberline (played by Michael Ross) who had been involved in the case at the time. The attention to details means that the fiction created fits perfectly into the time line without tainting the true history and respecting the real gruesome truths that come with the story.
Our Leading lady Gemma Tubbs is compelling and easy to watch, her acting is seamless and whilst we as an audience may start to question her character’s motives, we completely understand why she is doing these things and outright see the internal battle that Gillian Spender faces. Our “Jack” (James Tudor Jones) is cunning and calculated, even when he is simply lurking in the entrance way of the theatre he leaves his mark, reminding us that he is always watching and ten steps ahead of our protagonist. All of the cast work so well together with Wilkes giving a fantastic death scene, Ross warming up the audience with his booming presents, Miles Francis charming the audience whilst reminding us all of the place of a woman back in the 1800s and Jane bringing the spirit of Jack’s last victim to life to remind us of the reality that these victims are not just names but real people.
We focus heavily on not just the murders but the press of the time and how the case had been shared around, the speculations as to who jack could have been, be it surgeon or prince. We also see the impact of how far the press are willing to go to get their stories, how they can impact the tales themselves.
Overall, this is a fantastic show, well researched, respectful and suspenseful. If you are already interested in the tale of Jack The Ripper you will really appreciate the woven details and if you like a good suspenseful show that will keep you on the edge of your seat this one is for you.
Ripper plays until 11th August at C-ARTS Aquila Temple 14:35 daily.
Buy Tickets at Ripper | Theatre | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)
Reviewer: Beth Eltringham
Reviewed: 7th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: