How do you review a show that relies on its secrets being kept? That implores you not to talk about it, lest you ruin the fun for everyone else? That's the bind any reviewer heading along to Ghost Stories faces; to explain what the show is like, without revealing, well, anything really.
Billed as a live horror movie – played out in front of you, on stage – this British horror-themed play written by Jeremy Dyson (The League of Gentlemen) and Andy Nyman (Derren Brown TV and live shows, Peaky Blinders) certainly offers scares aplenty. The question is, what kind of scares are you actually in for?
I must admit, I'm not the jumpy kind, and I don't scare too easily – which means I'm perpetually in search of something that will deliver the thrill of a proper jump-scare. The trailers certainly promised it so; filled with white-faced punters in the audience, it shows the scares, but never the stage. What is it they say about what you can't see?
Alas, Ghost Stories sits more in the deliciously schlocky, B-grade horror film space for me, rather than anything Blair Witch-worthy of genuine fear. But this doesn't make it any less enjoyable. In fact, perhaps it makes it moreso.
Three creepy stories, told with a generous swathe of winking humour, spin their narratives around a lecture made by Professor Phillip Goodman (Steve Rodgers) – a man who questions the very validity of the stories he has collected in his pursuit of the supernatural. Delivered as a lecture with montages, it's an unusual structure for a play, and perhaps suffers from that sinking feeling like we're back at University, rather than watching something spooky.
Rodgers is excellent though, pacing it all perfectly as he brings the audience on side, before we start to question it all after something malicious or monstorous jumps out at us. First up is Jay Laga'aia as Tony Matthews, a security guard who stumbles upon some bumps in the night. Laga'aia is top tier in a role that suffers from too many long pauses – an attempt to build tension which instead just feels dull – but he capitalises on these moments, filling them with character.
Darcy Brown is Simon Rifkind, a kid that finds himself on a deserted road late at night. Despite a truly cheesy (but immensely fun) horror storyline, Brown leans in – perhaps a testament to the direction of trio Jeremy Dyson, Sean Holmes and Andy Nyman, who seem to understand their source text.
This is probably the best set piece of the three, accompanied by some of the best mood-setting lighting I've seen on stage of late. In fact, all of Jon Bausor's production design is on point, and along with the lighting, aids in building the narrative perfectly. Special effects by Scott Penrose are fun for what they are – but in this day and age of film technology and digital SF, I wonder if Ghost Stories suffers from our general lack of wonder and amazement when something is executed live in front of us. There are limitations, after all.
Nick Simpson-Deeks is slimy banker Mike Priddle in a role he feels made for. Although some of his jokes fall flat, he's at his best when he's not playing for the audience's laughs. Add a fun little twist at the end, and Ghost Stories wraps itself up in a nice little schlock-horror bow.
If you go in expecting to be scared off your seat, you may be disappointed. But accept it for what it is – a bloody fun night out for B-grade horror afficionados and fans of the supernatural – and you'll be a happy little camper. BYO torch.
Ghost Stories plays until November 5, 2022. Get your tickets here.