Hex

Gwen and Toby are a young married couple facing a difficult domestic problem. They’ve tried everything and, much to Toby’s horror, Gwen is now turning to esoteric Eastern teachings for the answer – seeking solace in meditation and the cod philosophy of far away monks (“when life throws you cabbage, make kimchee”).

Today, the long-suffering Toby has been instructed to be on his best behaviour for some very special guests. Visiting their home will be a pair of spiritual healers who worked a mind-blowing miracle at a recent fair, and may have the power to deliver them from their predicament. But they’ve been through it all before, and despite Gwen’s doe-eyed enthusiasm, Toby remains mortally unconvinced.

So come they do and pitch their services over a hearty round of curative tea, when it becomes apparent that even by their standards the problem in hand is a peculiar one. Nothing on their menu looks fit for purpose, but where ice-cold nightshade enemas fall short, a simple jar of pickles may just do the trick.

What starts off as an offbeat, dead-end sitcom spins miraculously into a wildly imaginative tale of the unexpected in this mischievous one act play from Strangetown Theatre Company. The script teeters on being heavy-handed in parts but never boring, and is cheerfully executed by a young cast who have taken to the task with a huge sense of fun. Sharp performances from Sarah MacGillivray and Ben Clifford in the lead roles and one hell of a twist make this a bewitchingly enjoyable experience.