A Masterclass in Horror-Comedy: Kirsty Mann’s CORPSE Review | Zoe Sievwright

Image credit: Rich Lakos

‍★★★‍★★

Entering the venue for CORPSE, you can immediately feel the buzzing energy of a show that has completely sold out its entire fringe run—and the second Kirsty Mann takes the floor, you know exactly why. CORPSE is an absolute triumph of solo theatre, providing a brilliant mix of heart-stopping horror and genuine, laugh-out-loud humour without ever falling into cheap movie tropes or cheesy slasher gimmicks.

The core magic of the performance comes from its grounding: it is built entirely on a true story. Drawing directly from her real life working as an NHS doctor, Mann recounts moving into a London flat where the previous owner had recently passed away in the very bed that sits centrally on stage. Mann grounds every surreal, creepy moment in authentic human experience. Because the narrative feels so relatable and grounded, every eerie escalation hits with double the force. The room sits pinned to the edge of their seats, constantly caught between nervous laughter and genuine, stomach-churning dread.

Mann’s performance is electric. Her impressions and character work are exceptional, as she effortlessly shifts between distinct personalities and physicality, populating the space with the eccentric figures in her orbit, from bewildered estate agents to loved ones trying to rationalise the house's strange occurrences. She works the crowd with fantastic comedic timing, letting you catch your breath with a quick laugh right before pulling the rug out with genuinely startling jump scares.

The technical staging ties the atmospheric weight together seamlessly. The lighting design is flawless, casting long, menacing shadows across the venue, pinning Mann in sharp, clinical beams, and using sudden darkness to crank up the psychological tension. Paired with precise, unsettling audio cues, every visual flicker keeps the audience completely hooked from start to finish.

What makes CORPSE so unique is how much heart it carries beneath the spine-chilling set pieces. It isn't just about making you jump in your seat; it's a warm, intelligent exploration of fear, human logic, mortality, and how we cope with the unexplainable. Mann balances sheer terror with incredible vulnerability, making the audience invest deeply in her journey. You walk out into the Edinburgh evening laughing, properly spooked, and checking over your shoulder the whole way home.

CORPSE was performed at Red Lecture Theatre – Summerhall from 6-30 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.

By Zoe Sievwright