In 1985 a great chasm opened at England’s centre, separating the north and the south and beginning a dark, terrifying story of monsters and despotic monarchs. Writer-performer Chris Harrisson bills his play as a “new myth”, and it appropriately recalls such epic journeys as the ‘Odyssey’ while blending fantasy and contemporary reality in the vein of authors like Neil Gaiman or China Miéville. As his protagonist journeys to the heart of the north, Harrisson fearlessly tackles the task of portraying a rogue’s gallery of creatures and oddballs. The production design is gorgeous – projected illustrations help set scenes and demarcate chapters, and I felt I could have become lost in the beautiful but unnerving soundscapes. An enchanting modern-day fable.

Summerhall, until 27 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Jon Stapley]