Unleash the Llama, the company behind such fringe favourites as Man of 100 Faces and Jew…ish, is best known for comedy. But make no mistake — this new play, written by and starring Saul Boyer, is all about horror: the macabre, the arcane, and the occult. The Edwardian era brought an explosion of spirit mediums like Florence Cook and Daniel Dunglas Home, who all claimed to be able to contact the dead and perform various other acts of magic, like levitation. (It is from this, and not the Broadway musical Wicked, that the play derives its enigmatic title.)

Based on real accounts from the time, this larger-than-life three-hander follows the exploits of the fictional Ezra Montefiore (Saul Boyer): yet another Edwardian spirit medium, but is he just another opiumed-up charlatan, or is he the real deal? Down on his luck and sharing lowly lodgings with an over-needy landlady (Laurel Marks) in 1916, Montefiore rekindles his relationship with Russian Prince Felix Yusupov (Lewis Chandler), whereupon he and his wife cart him away to St Petersburg to help them conceive a healthy child.

In aid of helping the couple, and manipulating himself into becoming an indispensable member of the family, Montefiore summons demons, feeds the desperate couple opium, and anoints them with a mixture of their blood and semen. Directed by Toby Hampton (with movement by Sam Rayner), it is genuinely unsettling. One of the play’s most gripping scenes is a flailing, opium-withdrawn Montefiore on stage in St Petersburg, performing his séance act but getting everything wrong, swamped in fragmented, distorted noise (Matthew Ballantyne).

It’s a minimal set, but the period costume design and props are somehow able to transport us into Edwardian London and pre-revolutionary Russia. Being a fringe show, the number of stage illusions is limited. But some dramatic production of fire and a levitating urn keep us guessing as to whether Montefiore’s claims are real or lies. Go see this sexy and creepy play, admire the cast’s sheer talent, and immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of Edwardian spiritualism.

Rating: ★★★★★

Playing as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, 1–26 August 2024.