The story is centred around Roy Earle (well depicted by Peter Slater), an American parapsychologist who is resolutely anti-ghost. Determined to debunk all rumours of paranormal activity, Earle takes up the tantalising offer of attending a séance at Blaine Manor - the most haunted building in England.
As the curtain rises on the black box set, I found myself slightly underwhelmed by the lack of attention given to the stage. I could see that the stage designers had attempted to include traditional gothic styling, such as the odd skull resting on a cabinet, though the charm ends there. Granted, this play was not as big budget as other productions I have seen – but I feel the producer missed a chance of utilising the staging to add to the twists and turns of the plot – a considered portrait or two maybe?
During the first half we are introduced to several eccentric characters each with rich and intriguing backstories. Although the script was beautifully written and obviously well thought out, I felt the writer did himself an injustice in not showing the paranormal activities, which were only ‘told’ via the actors, prime example - the dining room ‘scene’. I think Joe O’Byrne was aiming for focus on the acting / storytelling and, in this way, he delivered. If soliloquys and monologues are your thing in plays – this would work well for you, it just wasn’t for me. Shakespeare would have been proud though.
The second act allows for a somewhat faster pace, with the actors embracing their roles, granting us a new layer to their characters. An example of this is Jo Haydock’s Vivian Rutledge. Where I felt her character lacked purpose in the first half, the second half revealed her extensive knowledge of local legend and occultism, hinting that there is still more to Rutledge’s story.
For me, the shows main triumph was its abundance of twists. Without spoiling too much I will say, although hinted throughout the play, the ending did not fail to surprise me and showed the play in a new light, giving meaning to some directorial choices. It may sound over critical to say the ending was the highlight, but it was genuinely great.
This play gives you more than your traditional spook-fest with its the surprisingly clever plot line, setting it apart from some of the more basic ‘haunted house’ tales. For me there was not enough ‘doing’ and ‘seeing’, and I didn’t get the scare factor I came into the show expecting. The play seems to strive at hitting a number of genres’ – which it sadly just falls short of on all fronts. At times it feels like you are watching a spoof comedy, with odd political quips and some dodgy accents to boot! This play is ideal if you’re looking for a way to ease yourself into the paranormal theatre whilst keeping things light-hearted but to say it is advertised as a gothic horror? Not for me.
Star rating (out of 5): 2.5
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