Mike Dorey
Edgar Allan Poe is one of those names that transcends literature. His contribution to early horror and crime stories has proven to be the inspiration for many adaptations and performances in the past.
To see a one man performance of two of Poe’s stories promised to be an unmissable performance, so under the recommendation of multiple friends and colleagues I took the plunge, and I was not disappointed.
Stephen Smith is an exceptional performer, he had this seemingly sold out crowd in tenterhooks throughout his performance and drew them in with every word. His elastic expressions and physicality were mesmerising and is truly worthy of the accolades he has already achieved in his career.
I was not familiar with The Black Cat nor The Raven as stories and to be honest I’m glad I wasn’t. The Black Cat serves as a warning against alcoholism and its resulting violence and unpredictability. Its protagonist, an unnamed and unhinged man grapples with his addiction amidst haunting memories of a black cat that recurs and drives him into madness. This results in a grisly murder and subsequent clumsy coverup.
The Raven follows a similar unnamed protagonist, who is depicted in this version as a half blind elderly gentleman who is provoked by the arrival of a raven who taps continuously on his chamber door. Seemingly the man sees this as a sign, or atleast a reminder of his former lover who is implied to have passed on, as he questions if he will one day be reunited with his lost love.
The latter story is much shorter and therefore takes up much less of the shows runtime. If I’m honest I would have preferred a longer exploration into the first story and left The Raven to another show comprised of several shorter stories. I find it unlikely that Smith would take this approach given his love and affection for the works of Poe. He strikes me as a man who wishes to expose Poe’s words to a wider audience without editing the text but rather embellishing using his performance to make the characters as engaging and intriguing as possible. I have a lot of respect for this, and therefore his approach is apt and captivating.
Overall with minimal usage of technical elements, set and of course a wider cast, this performance is made or broken by Smith himself. He is extraordinary to witness in the flesh and truly captivates the horror and morbid macabre of Edgar Allan Poe and his characters.
Recommended Drink: English Breakfast Tea or something similar, you want to have your wits about you when witnessing this stellar performance.
Performances of One Man Poe: The Black Cat and The Raven have now concluded at EdFringe 2025.
Jake Mace
Lamesha Ruddock
Jasmine Silk
