A whimsically dark and deeply moving new work, The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey arrives at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a broken fairy tale exploring grief, loss and the fragile threads of hope that bind us together.
At its heart is a fable-like journey: Magnus Coffinkey must climb an impossibly high spire to fix a bell, with the promise that success will grant his deepest wish, while failure will leave him with a permanently broken heart. Yet beyond this enchanting world of shadows and spires lies another narrative, that of a writer struggling to complete a story while grappling with overwhelming grief.
Unfolding through metaphor and a deceptively childlike lens, the production addresses the trauma of pregnancy loss with sensitivity and emotional clarity. What begins as a magical tale gradually reveals a more poignant truth, a woman writing a bedtime story for a child who will never wake, using the story of Magnus as a means of expression and healing.
Created by Maltese artists Angele and Malcolm Galea, the piece draws on their own personal experiences, transforming private grief into a shared theatrical language. The result is a production that speaks both intimately and universally, offering audiences a chance to reflect on loss while finding moments of connection and understanding.
Described as “Sublime. Heart-wrenching. Perfect.”, the show combines warmth, humour and inventive theatricality with original music by Angele Galea, creating an immersive and emotionally resonant experience. Through its dual narratives, it invites audiences not only to witness grief but to recognise it in their own lives.
Angele and Malcolm Galea explain, “We’ve been talking about writing this play for several years but it was difficult to do such a profound and multifaceted experience justice with words. We would like mourning parents to feel seen, and for support systems to understand better what they’re going through. Our experience is silently shared by a great many people who have their own way of dealing with grief.”
They continue, “We’re hoping this story helps our communities come together and honour such a life changing event. This pushed us to talk to others and create what we hope will serve as a glimmer of hope in the crushing darkness.”
Performed by Rebecca Camilleri and Joseph Zammit, and directed by Philip Leone-Ganado, The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey is both an intimate two-hander and an expansive emotional journey, inviting audiences into a world where storytelling becomes a means of survival.
The Trials of Magnus Coffinkey runs at Summerhall (Red Lecture Theatre) from 6 – 31 August (not 17, 24 August) at 10:30. Tickets are on sale here
