I walked into Scary Queen of Scots knowing not a damn thing about Scottish history, folklore or Queen Mary of Scots but I walked out knowing a bit too much about the dear queen’s love life!

Gill Cordiner is a Scottish comic who excels at physical humour and has a unique style you don’t see often at Fringe.

Armed with not only a Scottish broad sword, but an illustrated pad of poster paper, Cordiner leads audiences through the misadventures of Mary Queen of Scots’ life and ultimate death at the hands of an executioner.

Cordiner personifies Mary throughout the show. She steps between the role of the Queen of Scots and an intrusive narrator, addressing the audience and adding her own titbits and life lessons.

Cordiner draws links to both present day politics and her own trials throughout the performance. Things can get slightly confusing but are made a bit clearer thanks to her trusty drawings!

In general, I would say the show is geared towards a slightly more mature audience, who can relate well to Cordiner as some jokes may not land well with younger adults.

The show concludes with a funny but valuable takeaway, using Mary Queen of Scots’ life as a parable for keeping your cool and maintaining your sense of self, whether that is being the first woman playing golf or unsettling your executioner by dressing provocatively.

Comedy shows are always hard to judge as in nature they are highly subjective. I think that Cordiner is a very charismatic comic, which makes her very likable and enjoyable to watch. I really enjoyed her use of props and commitment to presentation, though I did find I had to really focus in to follow along and understand fully.