Fringe review: WHEN WE DIED, Alexandra Donnachie - Edinburgh Festival Fringe

She often imagines what each person’s life was like. Today she doesn't need to do that because she knows this man. He raped her 11 months ago. Now he's dead and it's her job to prepare his body and present him to his family. Now she has no choice but to confront her trauma and tell her story, but it's on her terms.

When We Died is a new play written and performed by Alexandra Donnachie. The narrative is detailed, focusing on the smallest details in order for us to see what she sees. The explanations of the processes used in the mortuary are both compelling and intriguing. This is not something we talk about in everyday conversation, but then neither is rape.

Faced with this scenario, how would we cope? Would we remain professional? Would we tell his family what he did to get our closure? Or would we just run away?

Donnachie's performance is simply wonderful. Her torment between holding herself together and the struggle to admit what happened out loud is evident. There is a calmness about her performance that makes the character unpredictable. As an audience, we're not entirely sure exactly what decision she will eventually make, but we desperately want her to be okay.

An extraordinarily beautiful piece of writing.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

When We Died plays in the Anatomy Lecture Theatre at Summerhall at 7.40pm until 27 August.