Review: Moving on – A New Musical, EdFringe

Moving On follows the story of three siblings who make up the Mortimer Movers company as they are tasked with clearing away the belongings of a deceased school teacher. Little do they know there is more to behold from the spooky old house the teacher once called home, and as strange occurrences start to unfold the trio soon realise they are not alone. There are strong character and vocal performance from Orla Bayne as Sam and Marc Robertson as Davie, and I was lucky enough to see the multi-talented Roza Stevenson cover as Robin on the evening I watched: there is great comraderie between these three young actors.

One by one the not so happy haunts make themselves known to the children through their own creatively written musical numbers. Maggie May Goodhall brings a fabulously flirtatious Hattie to life with strong characterisation and vocality, and mention must also go to Oliver Payn as deceased DJ Jortz who displays super comic timing and likeability.

The audience are kept on the edge of their seats as the story twists and turns and the siblings uncover more of the mysteries of the house. Well utilised boxes make up the majority of the set, with extra detail in the form of shelves containing ornaments adding to the ambiance. Sound and lighting help to build the gently haunting atmosphere. Costumes are simple but effective in contrasting the dead from the living.

The endearing nature of the characters really drew me in. The songs are beautifully written, providing instances of superb comedy as well as heart felt moving moments. There are great moments of physical theatre and sound collage which add to the piece’s creativity and the choreography is most effective too. This is a great evening’s entertainment from a diverse and forward thinking company!

Written by Amber Docherty and Roza Stevenson
Music by Josh Wood

Moving On runs at Alba Theatre until Thursday 14 August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.