When you picture America, what do you see? Maybe the glamour of Times Square or the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or more domestic scenes of family barbecues in the deep South. You probably didn’t immediately jump to the smaller settlements – like a US citizen likely wouldn’t picture Lancaster when asked to think of England, you likely wouldn’t think of somewhere like a town in the marshes of North Carolina. And that’s exactly what Where the Crawdads Sing is all about: the importance of these invisible people in often invisible places.

Following Kya, a young girl raised by the marsh consistently let down by the adults around her as she grows into womanhood and faces new kinds of discrimination, this adaptation brings to life the untameable character and setting made popular in Delia Owens’ novel. Daisy Edgar Jones, star of the beloved miniseries Normal People, gives Kya a powerful onscreen persona matched only by the cinematic presence of the marsh itself, which lends its earthy, mysterious atmosphere to this slick Hollywood production.

Without giving away any of the mystery at the heart of the story, the way that the initial disregard for Kya slowly burns into contempt from the townsfolk around her is a fascinating exploration of how people feel the need to smooth over uncomfortable truths. But like the irrepressible nature of the marsh itself, these truths are always lurking below the surface, ready to be uncovered by those brave enough and confident enough in their own worth. The discovery of these invisible stories is inevitable – Where the Crawdads Sing asks what happens next. 

Where The Crawdads Sing is on from the 5th - 11th August - For times & bookings click here