Ghost Stories – CaretakerAccording to the publicity, Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman’s ‘supernatural spectacular’ Ghost Stories is a ‘worldwide cult production’. Well, I don’t know about that, but it is hugely enjoyable, very funny, inventively staged and will certainly shock you, even if, like me, you sat down in the Theatre Royal Brighton, determined not to be shocked by anything!
According to the publicity “there’s something dark lurking in the theatre. Enter a nightmare world full of thrilling twists… a supernatural edge-of-your-seat theatrical experience like no other”.
Unfortunately, that is all I can tell you about this ‘play’ as I am sworn to secrecy; in fact, I have already been thanked for NOT revealing its secrets!
What I can say is that much of the evening’s enjoyment is down to Special Effects designer Scott Penrose, sound designer Nick Manning (if a tad TOO loud!) and inventively lavish set designer Jon Bausor.
The four-strong cast of five (I cannot reveal the fifth member!) are all superb, being totally relaxed in their roles and very believable, continually lulling the audience into a false sense of security. One knows that something is about to happen but never exactly what that ‘something’ is!
Joshua Higgott is Professor Goodman, calmly giving a lecture, or so we think…
Paul Hawkyard is feet firmly on the ground Tony Matthews.
Gus Gordon is the em’body’ment of a student, and Richard Sutton portrays Mike Priddle – clearly enjoying the experience so much that he also recently played the role in the West End.
I am afraid I can give nothing else away about this 90-minute show, except to say that those 80 minutes fly by. There was a group of five in my train on the way home who spent the entire thirty minutes of the journey discussing the ‘play’, saying how much they had enjoyed it and, of course, that they had never been at all shocked or scared or thrilled by what they had seen or heard: somehow I didn’t believe them……..
After this week’s run at Theatre Royal Brighton (1 hour from London Victoria), the show continues to tour the UK. Highly recommended – great fun!
Review by John Groves
There’s something dark lurking in the theatre. Enter a nightmarish world, full of thrilling twists and turns, where all your deepest fears and most disturbing thoughts are imagined live on stage. A fully sensory and electrifying encounter, Ghost Stories is the ultimate twisted love-letter to horror, a supernatural edge-of-your-seat theatrical experience like no other.
Joshua Higgott plays Professor Goodman, Paul Hawkyard appears as Tony Matthews, Gus Gordon performs the role of Simon Rifkind and Richard Sutton reprises his role as Mike Priddle (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and the West End’s Ambassador Theatre).
Please be advised that Ghost Stories contains moments of extreme shock and tension. The show is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 15. We strongly advise those of a nervous disposition to think very seriously before attending.
Ghost Stories
11th – 15th February 2020
Book Tickets for Theatre Royal Brighton
I expected to be shocked and scared there was to much laughter for me I could not understand what all the hype is about, I thought there would be affects within the audience but nothing I can honestly say I was bored, and to make things worse there was somebody behind who done nothing but cough they sounded so Ill they should have been home in bed