The Court – Hill Street Theatre

If you fancy yourself a sleuth, a Judge Judy, or even a Jeremy Kyle, this show is for you.  The Court, produced by Edinburgh Little Theatre, invites audience members to participate in a mock trial, testing their powers of discernment and morality.  Cathy, the defendant is accused of illegally euthanising her terminally ill mother.  It is up to the audience to decide whether it was murder, or manslaughter. 

With pie and drink retrieved (both of which are included in the ticket price), we were guided into the courtroom.  The braver members of the sell-out audience got the chance to volunteer as the jury, getting a seat next to the witness stand right amidst the action.  “All Rise!” shouts the judicial assistant, and so it begins. 

The interactive element to the show proved great fun for the audience – the audience participants were allowed to question the actors, and my goodness did they.  With everyone invested, offering rebuttals, and accusations for every incongruence and flaw in the witnesses’ testimonies, it truly felt like the fate of this woman was in our hands.  We were all determined to find out the truth of the matter.

The cast handled the audience well, with witty moments of improvisation in response to the jury’s questioning.  Tonally, the piece was unsure of itself – crossing the lines between a self-aware parody, and a realist drama.  Perhaps if the truth was revealed to us at the end, the show would have been more credible in its structure and mood.  Despite this, it was still entertaining thanks to the interactivity and good humour of the actors. Each actor was confident in themselves and wouldn’t have felt out of place in a real-life courtroom. I’d take this over jury duty any day!

Reviewer: Jessie Martin

Reviewed: 5th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: