About this Performance
Dornoch, northern Scotland, 1727. In the claustrophobic heat of summer, a woman's apparent ability to manipulate the power of land and sea stirs suspicion. Janet Horne can cure beasts, call the wind and charm fish out of the sea. Or can she? As her refusal to refute their claims of sorcery incenses the local community, her magnetic allure continues to captivate and destroy.
The Last Witch is based on the historical account of Janet Horne, the last woman to be executed for witchcraft in Scotland. She was sentenced to death by burning in her home town, accused by friends and neighbours who believed she had made a pact with the devil.
Rona Munro is one of Scotland's leading playwrights and The Last Witch has been specially commissioned by the Festival. Munro explores the psychological rifts that can divide close communities and drive families apart, and vividly illustrates the destructive potential of fear in a small village.
Supported by Edinburgh International Festival Science Consortium