Horror is always hard to come by at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, so fans of the genre should take note of the brilliant Patrick McPherson’s new production, Scatter: A Horror Play. With sublime use of lighting, sound, and visuals, paired with a vividly intense performance from McPherson, Scatter is our undeniable favourite of the Fringe this year.
Scatter tells the story of two brothers, who are travelling to rural Wales to spread their father’s ashes. In his last months, their father was plagued by nightmares of the urban legend The Stretched Man, a horrifying figure who begins to creep into the subconscious of his sons as circumstances grow increasingly more mysterious and perilous.
Blending folk tales with family tragedy, McPherson is a compelling storyteller. The one performer on stage (mostly), the star lends a demanding physicality to the role, has heaps of charm and charisma (his dry humour providing a slight relief from the razor-sharp tension), and an intensity in his exploration of the growing mental turmoil of the protagonist. Crafting a creepy setting—whether that be the Welsh wilderness, claustrophobic caves, or a chilling public house—Scatter hooks us in with its skilfully crafted horror theatrics.
From a craftsmanship perspective, Scatter is delightfully terrifying. Crashing and booming sound leading to plentiful jump scares and all-consuming moments of horror keep the audience on their toes, whilst expertly executed lighting cues ensure the production is continually effective. Plunging the Underbelly Cowgate venue into complete darkness at plenty of moments, McPherson controlling the small pockets of light that the audience does see with a phone torch results in some skilfully crafted tension and regular chills and sweaty palms in the audience. Bringing in the use of pre-recorded visuals is also a successful move in building the setting of the dank Welsh caves and bringing a new dimension to the terror on display.
Yet much of the horror in Scatter comes from its story of human trauma, in both the narrative of the protagonist and his father, and in the parallel legend of The Stretched Man. The latter is a Frankenstein’s Monster-style creature, shunned by the village and enacting his revenge for a tragedy that befell his own family. McPherson is able to recount these tales with a pathos and emotion, drawing us into the humanity at the heart of his character’s own family trauma and the tragic demise of the villainous “Stretched” creature. Structurally, we are continually invested, as the protagonist recounts events to someone, the horrifying details of which mark one final big scare in the play’s final moments.
Scatter: A Horror Play is how horror on stage should be done. Executed with technical perfection, an animated performance brimming with a compelling conviction, and a narrative that leaves lingering chills.
Scatter: A Horror Play runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s Underbelly Cowgate. Tickets are available here.
