The Last Witch

Dornoch, northern Scotland, 1727. In the claustrophobic summer heat, one woman’s apparent ability to manipulate the natural world stirs suspicion and fear. Can Janet Horne really cure beasts, summon the wind and charm fish out of the sea? Or is she simply able to make others think she can?

In this harsh Highland wilderness, which barely rewards those who work the land, it is men - landowners, ministers, sheriffs - who hold the power. A lone woman with an independent mind is an affront to that male order, but the possibility that she may be in league with the Devil also makes her dangerous . . .

When a charge of witchcraft is laid against Janet, her refusal to deny (or admit) her guilt means a confrontation with the new sheriff, Captain Ross - a man with many secrets. A man who finds Janet both disturbing and strangely alluring. A man who wields the power of life and death over not just Janet, but also her daughter, Helen . . .

A rich, poetic tale full of ambiguity and suspense, The Last Witch reimagines the true story of the alleged Witch of Dornoch: did Janet Horne actually practise witchcraft? Or was she was a charismatic, free-thinking woman, ahead of her time?

From the writer of the acclaimed James Plays, Rona Munro’s tense, passionate history play has remained unproduced since it was first seen in 2009. Now a planned co-production between PFT and Firebrand Theatre Company will bring this modern classic vividly to life in a dynamic and thrilling new production.