Award-winning Les Enfants Terribles is celebrating its 13th year at the Fringe with a remarkable production of Ernest and the Pale Moon.
In this spine-chilling tale of obsession and bloody murder, it’s heavily influenced by the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock creating a gothic horror story that sends chills up your spine.
It’s stylishly staged with a whimsical set, haunting music performed live on cello and accordion with sound effects created on stage and dark atmospheric lighting that builds the tension.
Ernest sits in his lonely 13th floor room, lovingly staring at an attractive young woman Gwendoline with golden hair who lives in the apartment opposite. He is fixated by her beauty and longs to meet her.
Anthony Spargo creates an eerie, sinister, macabre Ernest whose descent into madness following his horrendous crime is powerfully enacted.
As Gwendoline, Laura Mathews perfectly captures the innocence of her trusting character.
Returning from the war with shrapnel in his leg is Thomas Thistle, the splendid David Ahmed, who also admires Gwendoline.
Ernest becomes violently enraged when he sees him with Gwendoline and it drives him to plot a violent revenge.
But all does not go to plan and there are more twists and turns in this roller coaster ride horror to be revealed.
It is visually stunning with exquisite performances from all the actors including stellar support from Rachel Dawson.
Terrifying, thrilling and compelling, this is one show you will not want to miss.