Bold in concept and assured in execution, Coven re-imagines the infamous events of the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 through a women-centred lens. This new musical at the Kiln Theatre is more about female empowerment, solidarity, and defiance than it is about cauldrons and broomsticks. Although there is much to admire and enjoy in this production, not all elements fully land, leaving me appreciative but perhaps not entirely spellbound.
Coven transports us to early 17th century Lancashire and the harrowing true events that led to the execution of a group of women for witchcraft. The story centres on Jenet Device (Gabrielle Brooks) and in particular, two defining points in her life: as a child manipulated into condemning her own family with accusations of witchcraft and two decades later, when she herself is imprisoned for the same alleged crimes.
In prison, Jenet meets a community of women united by their shared suffering under patriarchal rule. Dishonest prison guard Edmund (Diana Vickers) tries to get them to persuade each other to sign confessions in return for securing their own freedom. At first the women are willing to betray each other before realising their enemies are not each other but the men who have put them there.
Gabrielle Brooks as Jenet delivers a performance of striking emotional range, navigating the character’s tumultuous journey from youthful vulnerability to defiant strength with precision and power. Her singing is soaring and resonant, effortlessly carrying the emotional weight of the score. The ensemble is uniformly strong, each performer contributing to the show’s energy and sense of sisterhood. Shiloh Coke deserves a special mention for providing some of the evening’s most affecting musical moments, her solo number in particular, a highlight of raw emotion and vocal command.
The script by Rebecca Brewer is sharp, and in places, quite funny, given the play’s grim historical backdrop. She deftly transforms tragedy into a modern feminist manifesto and just about stays on the right side of not being too preachy. However, there were a few moments when the writing lapsed into speech making, where messages about bodily autonomy and female solidarity felt like being lectured to rather than coming organically from the development of the characters and plot. The story was a bit thin in places and after the scene was set early on in the play, there wasn’t enough subsequent plot development for me to find it compelling throughout the entirety of its two and a half hours.
The music and lyrics by Brewer and Daisy Chute are rousing and emotionally charged. The songs do more than punctuate the action, they deepen it, revealing the women’s fury, grief, and unity. At its best, the score pulses with an earthy energy that matches the play’s communal spirit.
Miranda Cromwell’s direction is assured and inventive, well-suited to the Kiln’s intimate space. She draws dynamic movement from her cast, using rhythm and gesture to bind the musical and dramatic elements together. While the production’s pace occasionally sags, Cromwell maintains a strong sense of cohesion and atmosphere throughout.
Jasmine Swan’s set design is elegantly minimal, dominated by earthy tones and a two-tiered structure that shifts fluidly between being a prison, moorland, courtroom and home. The simplicity allows the physical and vocal performances to take centre stage. Combined with Zeynep Kepekli’s shadowy lighting and Helen Atkinson’s textured sound design, the world of Coven feels stark yet alive.
Coven is an ambitious and heartfelt piece of musical theatre that shines brightest when its ensemble unites in song and spirit. It reclaims a dark moment in British history with conviction, giving voice to women whose stories were long silenced. Yet, for all its passion and musical vibrancy, the production occasionally falters under the weight of its own messaging and uneven pacing. The performances, particularly from Gabrielle Brooks and Shiloh Coke, are uniformly strong, and the design work is imaginative in its restraint. Although the show never quite achieves the emotional perfection it seems to reach for, Coven still casts a promising spell.
Coven is playing at Kiln Theatre until 17 Jan 2026
