Edinburgh Fringe 2026

Arachne / Athena

Whisper Theatre Collective

Genre: One Person Show, Solo Play, Theatre

Venue: Assembly @ St Andrew Square

Festival: Edinburgh Fringe

Low Down

Review

Arachne / Athena is a one-woman play written and performed by Britt Anderson and directed by Alex Mallory. Listing itself as a “dark comedy” the piece explores friendship, betrayal, and power through the lens of Athena and Arachne’s relationship. Although the piece uses the Greek myth of Arachne and Athena to shape and inspire the narrative, it does not shy away from acknowledging how poignant and relevant the topics are to today’s political climate.

The production is initially very meta-theatrical, setting itself up as the EdFringe book launch for a rebranded Athena, whose marketing team has apparently advised her that power suits, and pink banners will help her sell an autobiographical account of her judicial achievements. As she introduces her work, Athena claims “In all of these stories, order prevails” thanks to her judgement, also stating that “order” is something all mortals long for. Though she may appear to have full faith in those facts, we soon learn they’re not quite as certain as she would have us believe. Athena’s planned presentation is quickly derailed by the whispered words and skittering spider-y sounds of Arachne’s curse – forcing Athena to take accountability and speak the truth, or else she will (and does) spit up spiderwebs. The moment where writer and performer, Britt Anderson, pulls a glowing crocheted web from her mouth is a beautiful visual representation of the Goddess choking on her own lies.

The writing of this solo show moved confidently between light-hearted banter, witty one-liners, emotional outbursts, honest revelations, and heartbreaking betrayals. There was also some very clever mythically themed wordplay that I found particularly enjoyable, such as Athena’s judgement on Prometheus’ request to receive mail: “As long as it’s the eagle who de-livers the letters”. However, alongside the laughs and playful moments, the piece also contained various poignant, thought-provoking lines that sat with audiences as they considered how the statement could be applied to today’s lawmakers and enforcers just as easily as they are to this ancient Greek Goddess. One such line is Athena’s spite-fuelled threat to Arachne “With a signature I can start a war that would ravage your home for decades.”

Anderson’s physicality, as well as her accent and character-work, are phenomenal and one of the stand-out aspects of the production. The contrast between straight-backed, well-spoken, and disconcertingly diplomatic Athena, and the relaxed, relatable, Southern drawl of Arachne is awe-inspiring. It also makes quick switches and dialogue between the two not only easy for the audience to follow, but also believable, and often charmingly comedic. Additionally, Anderson portrays a wide range of other characters throughout the show, including several villagers from Hypaepa who Arachne interacts with. No matter which character Anderson skillfully embodies, even if only for a few seconds, they are fully-fledged and distinctive. Another notable figure who features in a hilariously disturbing burlesque-like number that descends into an intentionally uncomfortable and graphic scene is the original “daddy” God, Zeus.

Set and lighting design for this piece were simple but succeeded in making the space feel intimate enough for the audience to relax and engage with Anderson, as well as being dramatic enough that when emotional moments did come, they didn’t feel out of place. Lighting switched between a brighter state for when Arachne and Athena were speaking to the crowd, and a darker state that helped portray more vulnerable moments where the characters’ facades cracked and we got to momentarily see beneath the surface. Another design element I found worked very well was the repeated use of the spider-y sounds whenever Athena began to deceive the audience or herself. Anderson did have quite a few props, and because of the nature of some of the items, there were one or two occasions where they got a little tangled, however she didn’t let this interfere with her performance, instead finding ways to use it to help inform her character choices in that moment. One particularly beautiful image was Medusa’s transformation; Threads springing from her head to represent the moment where she becomes the snake-haired gorgon.

Throughout the performance, there are various elements of audience participation, from aiding with the passing of letters between Athena and Arachne, to being the bleating sheep of Arachne’s home – the village of Hypaepa – and even taking part in court hearings as the Gods and mortals on trial. Whilst audience participation can sometimes feel a little intimidating, Anderson did a wonderful job of setting it up tactfully, approaching audience members as they took their seats and asking them if they wanted to be involved, before handing them a simple written line with clear instructions of when they would be expected to speak up. Whilst it’s undeniable that the show is phenomenally carried by the performer and her incredible stage-presence, these moments of audience interaction were not only brilliant comedic content but also allowed for just enough of a change in pace and voice to keep the production feeling dynamic and varied.

Overall, this was a brilliant example of a solo show performed by a talented artist who understands and can deliver on the requirements that this genre demands. As previously mentioned, the show describes itself as a “dark comedy” and although this is true, I would argue it’s also character-driven, emotive, satirical, and at its core, a play about people, power, and truth.

Published August 19, 2026 by Elissa Nicholson