Deeply inherent in the mythology of Ireland is the Ulster Cycle, the sagas of Ulaid, and within that rich tapestry, few tales are as famed and as beloved than Táin Bó Cúailnge, an epic tale of thievery, war, treachery, great heroes and forbidden love between young men.
Young Edinburgh Storytellers Mark Borthwick and David Hughes spin out the fruity and blood-soaked tales of the fearsome Queen Medb, the boy-warrior Cú Chulainn and his old boyhood friend and sometime lover Ferdiad. Swept up in rollicking music, they take turns to tell the Táin and its remscéla to the rapt crowd.
It’s also a kind and welcoming touch that the two young bards give out shortbread and a dram of Irish whiskey to all who come, to gladden the hearts and ensure the merriment feels like the fireplace stories of old from which these stories derive, clashing tales that, despite their ancient origins, seem to breathe new life into modern sentiments as they touch on relations between couples, friends, lovers and communities.
It’s a great piece of theatre, intimate and open but still flooded with a sense of secret welcome. A brilliant performance and an absolute highlight of the Fringe.