Fringe Review: PROPHETS, Roxyboxy at Assembly Roxy

Photo credit: Giulia Ferrando

Saint John’s Island doesn’t get many tourists. So, when Kerris (Rebecca Wilkie) shows up, she finds herself amongst 48 other people in the British Overseas Territory, but not all is quite what it appears. Prophets is a sinister tale of what can happen when people are lured out of normality, into situations they no longer control. It is a reminder of vulnerability and humanity, deftly written by Jack MacGregor and performed in the intimate space of Assembly Roxy.

Tarpaulin covered in what resembles ash blankets the stage, giving the sense of remoteness - a far away island in its isolation. Kerris arrives for research purposes, she is an academic investigating the reefs around the island. But immediately there is the sense that something is off. Uneasily she learns that there is no documentation on the island available to the public but locked away under the Official Secrets Act. And Joel (Xander Cowan), who introduces her to her lodgings, leaves a disturbing adapted Bible lying around.

The two-hander flits through time as Wilkie plays Kerris, and Cowan the many faceted characters that she comes into contact with. Darkly compelling, the pair form a tight double act as the tension begins to escalate. Nothing is as it seems - not the island, not Joel, and not even Kerris. Prophets is a gripping, smart commentary on ideas and who follows them and why, and ultimately how, with no one watching, cults can survive despite the harrowing consequences.

The confined space of Assembly Roxy creates a pulsing, ominous atmosphere amongst the ash on the floor and the draped tarpaulin. Using torches as props Wilkie and Cowan create eerie, dramatic lighting and shadows through the haze and slick scene changes. The limited tunnels of white light allow for a tightening of the atmosphere as the story unfolds.

Ultimately a tale about humanity and how voices get silenced, Prophets doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations. It asks what justice means and what truth really is when lies can be so pervasive. A quietly terrifying performance, Prophets is an important, chilling watch.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Hannah Goldswain

Prophets plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 31 Aug, with further info here.