Review: THE GRANDMOTHER’S GRIMM, Some Kind of Theatre - Greenside @ Riddles Court, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Photo credit: Grant Jamieson

If you’re expecting gentle tales of little girls visiting their Grandma or a princess being rescued by a handsome Prince, then The Grandmothers Grimm is not where you want to be.

Exploring the influence of women on the Brothers Grimm, the story takes place in a small study in Kassel, Germany. Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm are discussing copies of the old wives’ tales they have collected and trying to remove the horror element, that will disturb adults (never mind children!), and create an anthology of stories, with Marie Hassenpflug.

Whilst Jacob wants a collection of moral tales, Wilhelm is content as long as the storyline is good and Marie would just really like for the female characters to be treated a bit nicer!

These are fairy tales as you have never heard them before! From the bizarre to the outrageous to the downright horrific, how did these stories become what we know and love them to be today?

The cast of four are engaging with their storytelling and the content is interesting, however it all takes place in one setting and it feels like this could be broken up somehow, as it feels like a lot of information to be taking in all at once.

There are correlations between the treatment of women in the stories and the opinions of the male of the species that are continuingly relevant now and it is interesting to note that generally, we haven’t evolved as much in our attitudes as we think we have.

It is informative and entertaining, even if we feel a little on edge as to how these stories from our childhood became the soft, friendly tales that we are used to hearing.

Intriguing, engaging and a little frightening!

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

The Grandmothers Grimm plays at Greenside @ Riddles Court at the Edinburgh Festival until 27 August, with tickets available here.