God Catcher

One of my biggest highlights this year and probably one of my biggest highlights of all time! (I’m saying this as someone who saw 39 different shows this year and who’s been at Fringe regularly since 2015).
I loved everything about this: The actors were sublime and all extremely talented, the music was amazing (I’d looove to have a recording of this musical, I would buy it in an instant. Or to be able to see it again and again and again). The writing was phenomenal. I’ve seen over the years my fair share of Greek myth retellings and this one was so well done. The way they used weaving as a device to tell the stories of forgotten und wronged women and to question the Gods & Goddesses – genius! And I loved how the cast used the simple props und stage design (especially this arch and fabrics, and how it was incorporated into the songs and choreographies).
The whole characterisations of Arachne, Athene, and the others was brilliantly done and well-performed, the whole cast has such strong and lovely voices.
I was so in awe and emotional the whole time, I just had to see it twice, and should God Catcher ever return to Fringe I’ll 100% come to see it again!

This was so much more than I had hoped for! Absolutely brilliant. It was both hilarious and incredibly moving. The cast was phenomenal and the message is very powerful.

This show is one to watch out for. It will definitely be one that you hear of again! Absolutely loved it!

I am gutted I won't be able to see it again before Fringe ends, so please go see it for me.

Effective use of simple staging. Felt longer than it was which was a good thing - managed to pack a lot of lore and emotion into an hour! Talented cast and good songs. "Don't Shoot the Messenger" in particular was a fun, if slightly misplaced number - its position in the running order takes you out of the emotional trajectory of the story slightly and may have benefited from being used earlier in the musical. Overall a very enjoyable experience!

My favourite performance at the Fringe! I loved the beautiful score and lyrics, and the cast was so talented.

The set was simplistic and had multiple clever functions that progressed the storyline. I hope to see it come alive as a longer show on a bigger stage in the future, as it definitely left me wanting more.

Add this one to your list if you like musicals and Greek mythology - the script is strong, the songs are good, and the cast is excellent!

This musical is amazing! Definitely check it out!

Beautiful show that brought together wonderful singing, a compelling story, and a modern take on an ancient myth.

I booked this by mistake. I saw a review in The Scotsman and I liked the idea of it as a play. I didn't notice it was a musical - but it was excellent. The music was good, the cast have great voices. It's an interesting take on the Arachne myth. The cast were all good but special mention to Hermes and Athena. Definitely worth seeing. Proper Fringe theatre- inventive and original.

This show is a must see for anyone who enjoys great songs, a truly original and relevant storyline, and a great performance by a stellar cast. Engaging from start to finish, and enough potential to expect this production to take wings ( not of the Icarus kind) and evolve into a full bodied musical. *****

God Catcher is a stunning new musical written by a dynamic Canadian duo, Tyler McKinnon and Cassie Muise. The story is enchanting and profound. The music,well let’s say, catchy and breathtaking. So many moments to capture. The cast is incredibly talented, so vocally strong. Plenty of humour and adventure. A must to see if you are at the Edinburgh Fringe! I suggest this show will grow legs of its own and capture the world.

Loved this show! So original, beautiful music, cast is spectacular! I highly recommend for a fun, innovative, moving hour of musical theatre.

A piece of beauty! These actors are better than the gods themselves. (Especially Athena and Demeter, who were amazing.)

Beautiful musical with some very talented performers! After a somewhat schmalzy introduction, the writing becomes excellent.

This is musical theatre at it’s best, with wonderful characters and music and an engaging interpretation based upon Greek mythology.

The stand out for me is the lead, Arachne. Wonderful stage presence and voice, an absolute joy to listen to and watch. Thank you all!

An imaginative show based around greek mythology which brings the stories of the gods to life within a minimal stage setting. Superb score, music and singing with some excellent performances but the standout was that of the leading role of Arachne.

Such a wonderful, wonderful show. The music is so well-done, the vocals are incredibly impressive and beautiful. If you are a fan of Hadestown, SIX, or just woman-centred historical fiction, you definitely need to see this show.

I can't wait to see where this show goes next and how big it gets! Very well done by all.

Just finished watching God Catcher's!
Beautiful reinterpretation of the Arachne myth, voices, costumes... a show not to be missed in this edition of the fringe!

Utterly charming. Great performances and direction. The inventiveness of the staging was a joy especially the transformations in Arachne's webs which were a real highlight. It's remarkable how a well written show with very talented performers and direction can effortlessly transport you from a small lecture theatre to ancient Greece. A real highlight of our Fringe.

Proper Fringe gem! The Performers all brilliantly bring this story to life and use the limited space very well. They each bring something unique to the piece and work terrifically together and it’s a joy to watch. The minimal set is also very well used and adds a real 3D element to support the images being described on stage.
I can’t wait to see what this show grows into.
Definitely a show I’ll be recommending and routing for in the coming years.

Every summer, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe provides an opportunity for musical theatre writers to show off their writing. This year, it’s only with the help of gods themselves that we keep what’s left of our sanity after having witnessed yet another assault on Alan Turing and many other misguided shows that make frontal lobotomy suddenly appear way more attractive.

Cassie Muise and Tyler McKinnon chose to recreate the Greek myth of Arachne in a musical that’s currently about an hour long and it’s definitely a rewarding creative feat. It’s important to remember that this is a fringe production—don’t expect lavish sets or elaborate choreography. But that isn’t even the main domain of a piece that heavily focuses on storytelling through song and that dramatically highlights the similarities between now and then; fighting the patriarchal system rigged against any independent thinkers and coming to terms with what it really means to stay true to one’s self.

The musical that would massively benefit from extending its running time to anywhere up to around two hours in order to not rush the action on stage does this better in its text portion compared to the musical side. It’s inevitable that this musical will get compared to another work based on ancient mythology, Hadestown, as it also attempts to modernise retelling through mixing various modern styles with generic modal-sounding score. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work and the highlights of the score come far too late in its performance, often from the characters that haven’t been built up enough. If the authors can come up with sufficiently memorable themes and expand on what they already have without having the characters say terrible lines about how they feel such as Athena’s “I’m sentimental”, one will be able to enjoy this work with huge potential without ripping their head off.

The production looks simple and it utilises everything in an incredibly efficient way. Actors move the props without the audience even realising it happens, the flowing fabric is used both as decoration and a platform for imaginative light work.

The highlight of the afternoon is definitely the impressive cast made of young performers many of whom we’re going to hear about in the future again. The music direction is excellent and the ensemble scenes were my personal favourite as everyone blends together very well without losing the personal touch where needed and everything runs smoothly. It almost makes me wish this musical had more ensemble scenes or involved more vocal soundscapes.

From the individual performances, I loved the three Elders who transform from the typical Greek chorus that comments on the action to a more active part of the story in the second half (a real stroke of genius on the writers’ part!), and the performers portraying Athena and Arachne who are given considerably more stage time compared to others. Both of them make confident choices in both singing and characterisation, and are easily able to summon convincing arcs for their roles.

I hope this musical gets more attention in the future and the support necessary for its development—go see it while you can as the next time you might have to pay ten times more for the cheapest of its Broadway tickets!

A truly beautiful retelling of the myth of Arachne. The cast are immensely talented with West End quality voices, and the original songs range from toe-tappingly catchy to utterly heartbreaking. A definite recommend for any fans of mythology retellings, especially those that bring light to the forgotten women - just remember, ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ (wink wink)

What a great show! Compelling story and fabulous new music (Hermes singing ‘Don’t shoot the messenger’ was hilarious). Some stand out individual performances backed by a first-rate ensemble. Bravi!

An amazing showcase of acting, musical and writing talent! A truly sensational show! Would highly recommend to any lovers of theatre, the classical world or anyone who wants to witness the stage stars of the future!!

If I could give more than 5 stars I would! The message of the story is more important now than ever, women re-writing history and bringing attention to those long forgotten. The entire cast brings a fresh and dedicated energy to the show, I couldn’t take my eyes off them. If you like mythology or re-tellings than this show is definitely for you!

5 STARS! Was able to catch this brilliant piece twice during my trip and was moved equally both times. A strong piece surrounding the corruption of women Greek mythology and how a perceived villain changed their world for the better. The cast shone equally throughout the show and conveyed the story with such conviction and passion. Would definitely recommend!

Terrific show! Wonderfully talented young cast performing a super story with great enthusiasm.

This is an absolutely beautiful piece of theatre. From the simple set that gets used to perfection to the beautiful costumes that are so simple and help audience follow the plot with ease.
Yna Tresvalles is an absolute standout with her performance radiating beauty, grace and humility. She hits every note, every mark and every emotion with such talent, it was a joy to watch.
The small stage does not hold these actors back, making the space feel as big and drawing us into the story. The songs are beautiful and very catchy and the direction clearly had so much vision with the added storytelling element of shadow puppets. Overall the entire cast and crew should be so proud of what they have created, I will be encouraging everyone to go!!

We didn't really know what to expect coming into God Catcher, and it exceeded our expectations so spectacularly! I already love mythology and Classical stories, and this was an exciting and fresh take on the myth of Arachne. Within minutes, I felt connected with the characters and drawn into the story. The cast did such an incredible job, and the songs were heartfelt, emotional and thoroughly enjoyable. As soon as we left the show, we were looking to see if we could come back for another viewing!

One of my surprise highlights of my Fringe. The beautiful, ethereal songs are perfectly matched by the absolutely stunning voice of Arachne. She steals the entire show - both as a young, overly excited child, and a world-weary, angry young woman. The method of showing the weaving was so simple yet powerful - an excellent demonstration that you don't need expensive sets to make a powerful impact. The almost 'Jesus Superstar' style Hermes number towards the end was also a highlight. I'm actually annoyed that I saw it by myself as I keep wanting to talk about it to everyone! Stunning.