Coblaith lives on a remote island in the Hebrides. When a stranger makes an abortive attempt to save her from drowning in a loch, they forge a strange connection that invites them both to confront their demons. Kazumi is a marine biologist and limnologist, scouring the world to find and catalogue a new species. But as Coblaith gets to know him, she learns that he’s more interested in myths and sea monsters. And Kazumi begins to wonder whether Coblaith is actually the selkie he seeks.
In The Weeds by Joseph Wilde from An Tobar and Mull Theatre is an interesting piece of theatre – gothic thriller meets ancient Celtic myth with a healthy dose of the strongest Scottish language to keep us grounded firmly in the present day. Careful direction from Rebecca Atkinson-Lord sees the balance of power shift continually between the two characters throughout the play so the final twist is suitably surprising. Wilde asks more questions than he answers in the script and ultimately, both characters feel somewhat underserved by their backstories.
Nevertheless, the performances are a treat. Coblaith (Carla Langley) is fierce, frank and beguiling, despite being more or less continually submerged in a foot of water. She skilfully sidesteps all of Kazumi’s attempts to encourage her to share her story, remaining stubbornly ambiguous as a character until the final chilling ending. Kazumi (Jamie Zubairi) is tentative and kind, a man yearning to find his place in the world after a series of calamities left him permanently cast adrift.
This was a relaxed performance. The actors described their characters and the story to the audience at the outset – and we were given the option of blocking our ears – and the brightest lights and more strident sound effects were toned down. None of that detracted from the chilling atmosphere created by designer Kenneth MacLeod and lighting designer Benny Goodman. And it’s brilliant to see Summerhall making proper provision for diverse audiences.
Into the Weeds is an elegantly executed, intriguing play that will leave you pondering the characters and their bouncy, bumpy relationship for some time after the metaphorical curtain falls.