When you come to Scotland, Edinburgh particularly, and take time to be a bit of a tourist, you’ll realise how much Mary Queen of Scots is such a poignant figure in the history and contemporary culture.

That’s why, a musical production based on her life is so important and appropriate to Ed Fringe. Pretty Knickers Productions has taken a summary of her life and translated it into more modern culture, choosing to change the real-life history of a religious and political reformation into the battle between Rock and Pop.

This clever production, with its original music, evokes the way paved by the creators of Six the musical. Basing it on real history, it is thrown to the current, making it socially resonating yet keeping to the facts and roots.

Set in a classic proscenium arched venue, there is an essence of a rock gig, despite seating not allowing us to push like groupies to the front or start a mosh pit. The music is jaunty, fun and with a touch of punk (until Queen Lizzie gets involved as a pop challenger) and it’s difficult to not bob a head or tap a toe, with a live band to support and give that gig feel.

It pokes fun at itself, making historical and relevant jokes and, with the subject matter, is strongly Scottish in accent, in pride, all the way down to the costumes. It is very well constructed and if it wasn’t for it being at fringe, could easily have been a professional West End production.

History is often about blood and gore, and we often relish in this. However, this production makes fun of this – reaching Mary’s sad conclusion, they poke fun and address us and our thirst for her ending by speaking about her story as a woman and fellow woman at the time. This, again, like Six, changes the narrative and focuses on the women in the tale, making this a highly feminist change to the history we are taught.

Mary, Queen of Rock! is a musical unlike any other, changing the narrative of Mary’s story and propelling it into the modern; it is clearly on its way to a permanent position in theatre popularity.