Towards the back of the courtyard in Summerhall stands a curious dome shaped tent. This is the Paines Plough Roundabout theatre, a venue that celebrates new and exciting work. The Roundabout is the location of many excellent shows during this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Ghost Quartet is one of these shows and is a thoroughly enjoyable musical theatre performance that captivates and entertains with a variety of upbeat songs.

Composer Dave Malloy has created a dark musical song cycle that weaves together 4 different stories in a surprisingly affective and enjoyable way. We begin in a camera shop where a sip of whisky marks the start of a chaotic and fantastic journey. The narratives are divided into 4 “sides” and interweave around one another. One of the stories is an interesting reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of The House of Usher. This underlines the dark edge of the music, but also showcases some of the light-hearted comedy which is conveyed in many of the lyrics.

The musicianship on display is magnificent and majestic. All four performers share vocal and percussion duties and infuse passion and ability into all the songs. The performance space is in the round with audience members looking on from all sides. The performers engage the audience through their onstage chemistry and ensure the lyrics and storytelling are of upmost importance. At times the story does get a little bit lost in all the music and buoyant disorder that is being played out on the stage. The performance works best when the music is toned down and the words ring out loud and clear. Here the story has a chance to breathe and the impact is powerful and commanding. Ghost Quartet is an inventive show that combines upbeat folk music and twisted storytelling with haunting and beautiful results. The story is enjoyable and the songs memorable.