Review: EDINBURGH 2024: SEAYONCE: SHE MUST BE HUNG!, Assembly George Square Gardens

“History will not repeat itself again”

Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung! begins with a song, as audience members are brought onstage to help Séayoncé prepare for the show ahead. The first song is a mix of singing and chanting, a combination of the lyrics to the “Cha Cha Slide” and instructions for the show itself. Written instructions are also passed around the audience, giving us cues for when to speak and interact, including the chant of “I am not afraid of audience participation.” Once our Greek chorus of audience members announces the beginning of the show, we are thrust into the trial of the century.

Séayoncé, portrayed by Dan Wye, is “the greatest mystic the world has ever known,” living in “a quiet Little Village in the woods” and on trial for witchcraft. She is joined by Leslie-Anne (Robyn Herfellow), her friend behind the keyboard with a tendency to use murder as a solution to their problems. We are told to boo the pair, even though Séayoncé acknowledges the strangeness of booing her, saying “It doesn’t feel natural, I know.” 

A range of witnesses are brought to the stage, mostly in the form of audience participation, including the Witchfinder General who wrote a book entitled Which Witch is Which?, “Angry Old Farmer with Creepy Voice” and the Vicar and his family, including his daughter who was witchy abilities. Séayoncé claims that the show is giving “Mother, Maiden and Crone,” and all three of these characters make an appearance by possessing Séayoncé’s body, being the defense witnesses to her character. The Mother gives off the vibes of an Italian mob wife, the Maiden is a hilarious stereotype of Gen Z and the Crone is a forgetful old woman. 

The highlight of the show is its music, with Herfellow playing the keyboard and Wye supplying the vocals, performing banger after banger and making me want a three-hour-long concert from the two. There is also an insane amount of puns throughout the show that get some of the loudest laughs, but, when they take a while to click, Séayoncé says, “Take your time,” leading to even more laughter.

The ending of Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung! is shockingly powerful, a reflection on the actual witch trials of the past and how minorities are being persecuted in modern times. As the Mother, the Maiden and the Crone tell  Séayoncé, “You’re a witch . . . It doesn’t have to be a fair trial.” By joining Séayoncé’s coven, we are promising to stop the repetition of history, to stand up for ourselves and our communities against those who want to tear them down. 

Ultimately, Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung! is a wonderful performance that combines comedy with an important message of fighting back against oppressors. Dan Wye and Robyn Herfellow combine to become a powerful force of music and theatre. To quote Séayoncé, “Namaslay, it’s been a pleasure.” Indeed, the show is a pleasure that should be experienced by all. 

Séayoncé: She Must Be Hung! Ran until 25 August at Assembly George Square Gardens - Piccolo. 

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