by Ed Fortune
The Edinburgh Fringe features a wide variety of shows every year. This includes physical theatre such as clowning, ballet, etc. Mythos Ragnarok finally brings one of the oldest forms of entertainment to the festival, one that has been lacking for too long. The ancient art of wrestling.
Mythos Ragnarok tells the story of the Norse gods in a very satisfying and energetic way. We open with Odin himself taking on his father, the gigantic Borr. It is a good match, Borr towers over Odin, and the ring thunders as blow after blow falls on the giant. And just when it looks like this will be a very short show, with Odin broken on the mat, a figure arrives in true wrestling-style dramatic flair. The staging and physical storytelling is so strong that we instantly know this to be Loki before a single word of introduction is made.
The entire show continues in this vein, as the gods bicker, plot, and scheme, they fight, pairing off as the story progresses. The casting is excellent and entirely composed of wrestling professionals. For example, Fenrir is hulking and frightening, Freya has a broad smile, a bountiful countenance and a wicked punch, Hella is terrifying, and Thor is very pretty, very strong and is portrayed as being deeply dumb. Everyone gets very sweaty, including the audience. It’s visually striking and pretty much unforgettable.
Strictly speaking, this isn’t a wrestling show in the truest sense. There’s no referee; there is a stage instead of an actual ring, and so on. But spiritually? It’s got all the drama, power, passion, and storytelling of an excellent wrestling show. It feels primal and true to the Norse myth in a way that can only be described as unique.
This is a stunning show, both literally and figuratively. The pace is relentless, and the storytelling is on point throughout. Ed Gamester’s Odin is particularly powerful, leading the audience through this very old story in a way that is fresh, fun and fantastic.
Go see this show, even if you don’t really enjoy wrestling. If you like old stories and brilliant performances, you will have a lot of fun. Recommended.
You can book tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe show here. And learn more about the show here.
