Coven at Kiln Theatre review: 'Witchcraft musical needs work'

Review at a glance

The tunes and the powerful singing voices in this all-female folk-pop musical, which connects the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 to further proceedings two decades later, are fine. It’s the lyrics, the book and particularly Miranda Cromwell’s cumbersome direction that are the problem. At least until after the interval, when a sudden surge of creativity – including the eloquent deployment of a puppet – brings focus and force to the narrative.

But half of a good show isn’t good enough. Coven was conceived before the pandemic by actor and singer Rebecca Brewer and songwriter-musician-arranger Daisy Chute, and has moved through various iterations since. It still needs a lot of work.

Our protagonist is Jenet Device (pronounced “deviss” and played by the always-chamel