Review: WITCH at HYDE PARK THEATRE

WITCH, Jen Silverman’s razor-smart adaptation inspired by “The Witch of Edmonton”, drops us into a small town where morality is loudly advertised and quietly negotiated. Reputation is oxygen, marriage is currency, and desire is a liability. Edmonton prides itself on righteousness, yet under the glossy surface, everyone is calculating.

Into this strict world steps a charming Devil named Scratch, played with sly, catlike precision by Chase Brewer. He doesn’t roar; he listens. He studies people like a skilled investor watches markets, offering contracts that match private desires. He doesn’t demand souls with theatrics. Instead, he asks for consent. He invites each character to name their strongest desire and agree to it. He does not represent chaos but transaction. Want something? Pay for it. The bill comes later.

As the story unfolds through quiet deals, we see a town falling apart from within. 

Frank Thorney, played with mischief by Jon Edward Cook, is ambition wrapped in good manners. Cook gives Frank a bright, upward look, always on the lookout for the next step. When the Devil offers a quicker rise, he hesitates only briefly. Wife. Unborn child. Conscience. Everything becomes negotiable if the reward is worth it. His story appears less like melodrama and more like capitalism with a heartbeat.

Winnifred, played by the captivating Amara (Mars) Johnson, is Frank’s wife. She provides the emotional balance to the play. She believes in the power of love and can’t understand her husband’s obsession with legacy and status. Watching her realize she’s been treated like collateral hits hard. By the end, when she begins to question the rules that held her back, the play truly comes alive. Her awakening feels fresh and modern, showing a woman noticing the system that shaped her obedience.

Cuddy, portrayed with quiet pain and palpable emotion by Steve Guntli, is the closeted son of a wealthy family in a town that would reject him if they perceived the truth. His father, Sir Arthur, brought to life with harsh authority by Rupert Reyes, clings to the family tradition as if it’s everything. He cares more about protecting the family name than about his son. Cuddy doesn’t want power but wants to be true to himself. The Devil tempts him with freedom. The price is high. The choice is very personal. In a world that punishes difference, what is freedom really worth?

At the edges is Elizabeth Sawyer, the town’s favorite scapegoat. Labeled a witch and pushed away, she’s less the story’s driver and more its quiet critique. Katherine Catmull avoids stereotypes, creating a woman who is alert, hurt, and sharply clear. She stands for the outsider that society needs to keep its illusion of goodness. The witch label hides the real truth. The corruption was always from within.

As each character signs their private contract, the play makes its point clear. Damnation is rarely forced. It is chosen. Director Ken Webster preserves a light, playful tone, letting the humor come through while darker questions simmer below the surface. The production entertains with gusto, even as it asks what we are willing to trade for security, status, approval, and love.

If there’s a criticism, it’s that the show hints at deeper issues without fully exploring them. Themes like patriarchy, repression, and transactional morality stay just below the surface. The production trusts the audience to think about these ideas on their own.

Perhaps that is the final bargain. The Devil does not drag anyone to ruin. He simply opens the door and waits.

Highly recommend you pay a visit to the charming Devil and the wise Witch at Hyde Park Theatre.

Duration: 90 minutes, no intermission

WITCH

Written by Jen Silverman

Directed by Ken Webster

Now playing through March 21st, 2026

Thursdays to Saturdays at 8:00 PM

Hyde Park Theatre

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