Tristan & Yseult

What is love? Is it the inability to be apart from another or the ability to allow them to embrace their destiny? Must love be requited or can it exist in the mind alone, unrequited? Love can make you both weak and strong. Love has a bittersweet aftertaste which can last a lifetime. Beth Friend's Tristan & Yseult explores all these topics and many more. It highlights the significance that love is an entirely subjective and individual emotion which in turn reveals its beauty and its darker undertones.

Beginning in the final scene, the narrator proceeds to inform the audience that the story is yet to unfold; this narrative strategy allows the audience to read the play from both a first and third person perspective.

Becoming instantaneously exposed to Tristan (Charlie Hanks) and 'the unloved' we begin the voyage overseas to Ireland to avenge Morholt’s attack on Tristan's ruler, King Mark. In arriving Tristan is healed and cared for by King Mark's bride, Yseult (Fiona Longmuir). Swiftly both parties become infatuated with one another and they arrive on home soil with the King's marital bed looming.

After a series of lustful events which are unveiled by Frocin, the wrath of King Mark is unleashed; banishing the guilty parties from his domain. Edinburgh University Theatre Company often frequent Bedlam theatre with a variety of exciting performances like The Pillowman and many others. Such productions similarly showcase young student talent in Edinburgh throughout the year and Tristan & Yseult proved to be no exception to such rule.

After the cast evoked an array of emotions from the audience, there was no debating that this was an exceptional performance. Friend's modern portrayal of Tristan & Yseult cleverly presented a new perspective on the old folk tale.

This modern depiction allowed the comedic aspects of the play to shine through; such parts were exceptionally performed by Anna Stewart; who played the King's assistant Frocin and The Lovespotters who were played by Sam Ring, Giluia Sebastio and Molly Shevlin. Other commendable performances came from Hanks and Longmuir who shone as the young lovers Tristan and Yseult respectively.Using a medley of dance, musical accompaniment and inventive stage work EUTC did not fail to deliver.