Review: The Selkie’s Wife, Fringe 2024

Birdy was at a bit of a loose end, and so was very glad to have been recommended this gem of a show from Elisabeth Flett, with such a short run at this year’s Fringe.

Let me preface this by saying I hadn’t planned to see The Selkie’s Wife today. I hadn’t heard of it, and I didn’t know what to expect, but then things went a bit unexpected (as they often do during Fringe) and I found myself at a loose end. I happily took the recommendation, and I’m delighted that I did.

The format

With strong Scottish folklore and LGBTQIA+ vibes, this is a one-woman show that tells a story, in several parts, both about Ingrid the forlorn Selkie’s wife (who also happens to be a selkie) and Elisabeth herself.

There’s a few things going on throughout, including audio recordings, live musical performances, and character monologues, making this quite a captivating multimedium show.

The vibe

When you first enter the dimly lit room, you hear haunting audio and the question of: “What’s the first thing you think of when you think of a selkie?’ Some voices said things like seals, or sorrowful singing.

We also think of the folklore, of selkies captured by men, forced to live with them, and bear their children. This show turns the narrative around somewhat, and is told from the perspective of the captured selkie’s wife, Ingrid, who yearns for her lost love.

So, there’s sorrow, but there’s also love, freedom, and power in this story, as well as Flett herself baring her soul about when she realised she was also writing about herself and how she at times felt trapped in her own body, as a chronic pain sufferer.

The show itself

I found myself utterly immersed in the Flett’s powerful storytelling (letting us know she’s never managed to feel sorry for the men in these tales), as she confidently commands the stage and brings to life the character of Ingrid, who yearns for her dear Rhona and can hear her (human) voice on land.

From when you’re introduced to the concept of selkies and what the lore has you believe about them, to Flett reading the fable about the king, queen and his daughters he was tricked into giving away, to the beautifully performed songs, and Flett telling you her own story, you’re with her every step of the way.

I’d say each act of this show has its own separate charm, and Flett moves between scenes so naturally, changing into a different cardigan or jacket, humming in low tones as she picks up or places down her fiddle again.

When we hear that Elisabeth realised partly through writing this show – about Ingrid’s tough skin, how she’s unable to remove it, how nothing helped – that she was actually writing about herself, it unveiled a whole new layer and became really quite raw. And beautiful.

I also enjoyed how Flett acknowledges she is but one storyteller, and this is a story we get to decide the ending of ourselves. It was a nice touch.

Overall

This really does feel like an absolute gem of a show, and one I would highly recommend whether you’re into Scottish folklore or not, and whether you’re LGBTQIA+ or not. I found The Selkie’s Wife to be a very refreshing palette cleanser in-between seeing mainly comedy, cabaret and mentalists.

More of this, please!