The pedigree for the show is also strong, written by Dyson, the unseen part of the legendary The League of Gentleman team, and Nyman, a man of many talents and perhaps most relevant for this show, as a long collaborator with magician Derren Brown. Stagecraft ideas for his work provide many tricks in this stage show.
Without any spoilers, the story sees a sceptical Professor Goodman out to debunk the paranormal and using three apparent hauntings – as recounted by a night watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child as his basis for a lecture. However, has Goodman finally met something he can not discredit?
Running as a speedy one-act 90-minute production, any tension the creepy tale invokes cannot be released into the foyer at an interval, leaving the audience trapped within Dyson and Nyman's clever and weaving story.
The cast of four are superb and compelling storytellers. Dan Tetsell is the sceptical Professor Goodman, presenting his lecture on the paranormal to us, the audience, in a jocular and often condescending manner to the victims. His character is where the bulk of humour, some dark, occurs in this piece via his collection of slides and videos. This jokey nature allows the three ghostly tales in between to become more effective.
The staging is superb. The set designed by Jon Bausor provides one of the smoothest scene transition capabilities many recent shows, with the ability to create a dingy former psychiatric hospital, a motion car sequence, and a simple nursery at ease.
The set, coupled with excellent lighting by James Francombe and sound by Nick Manning, builds suspense and tension via psychological effects and the inevitable jump shocks. Direction from the writers, alongside Sean Holmes, also helps keep the pace going, allowing no chance of breath for the audience.
Ghost Stories is excellent theatrical horror, edging a delicate balance between humour, jump shocks and psychological tension, and is, without doubt, one of the finer representations of the genre on stage, much better than more recent pretenders to the crown. If you are interested in ghostly, creepy tales, this is a surefire evening of entertainment not to be missed.
The perfect ghostly night at the theatre. Creepy, shocking and full of dark humour.
⭐⭐⭐⭐