It’s not quite fair to say that Louis Davison is taking the role of Sasha in Philip Ridley’s The Poltergeist because, whilst he does indeed enact the central character of the former (‘please don’t say the p-word’) “prodigy”, he also has to bring to life guardian, partner, ambitious gallerist, teacher and wise child amongst others. The pace at which Davison animates antagonists, inciters and loved ones alongside his central character’s voice is impressively breakneck. Although I found myself physically tense from the boggling rate of transitions, I was reminded of some of the young Robin Williams’ more manic stand-up routines. It’s hard to keep up but, if you can, it’s gratifying.
Originally conceived as a lock-down production to be live-streamed with a socially-distanced performance and then forced into live-stream-only, Ridley shows off his story-telling skill with aplomb. In this ultra-pacey one-person show – inhabited by at least a dozen characters who all get a voice – we get a true arc of promise to tragedy to promise again. Perhaps because I was still horrified by the indulgent car-crash of the arrogantly “I don’t even try” (and it shows!) playwrighting afforded a dozen different actors and even more creatives at the Olivier 48 hours earlier, I was pleased to behold a single actor in a black box – without even a solitary prop – captivating his audience on the strength of a story.
The Poltergeist races to build a world and at moments I found myself enervated by the chatter of so many voices and wished I could slow it down by just a fraction to keep up – but I think that sense of overwhelm is part of the point. It doesn’t take long to feel foreboding, curiosity and suspense because it is clear something is going to happen and a mystery of types will be uncovered. As such, I was hooked emotionally and invested in Ridley’s elegantly structured and conveyed plot – that made sense of the pain and rage developed in the first 30 minutes.
It’s an understatement to say that Davison, directed by Wiebke Green, shows impressive range; he convincingly inhabits multiple characters and holds both your head and heart in a taut drama with nothing but his voice and movement. The painterly writing of Ridley shows in that each episode of the past and present is so vividly described or enacted that there is no need for physical items or a set. This play is complete in its own right but is a short one-act. Bite-sized and fascinating, it reminds me of some of the more compact Pinter compositions that are usually performed as part of a menu with other pieces.
The playwright will be doing a post-show Q&A on Monday 6 October and, particularly for punters interested in the art of stripped-down writing, I recommend checking it out.
Review by Mary Beer
At 15, Sasha was called an art world prodigy. Celebrities wanted to buy his paintings. His first exhibition was going to make him a superstar.
But now he lives in a run-down flat, with his out-of-work boyfriend, and no one’s even heard of him… What went wrong?
Louis Davison – Sasha
Philip Ridley – Writer
Wiebke Green – Director
Kit Hinchliffe – Designer and Production Manager
Ciaran Cunningham – Lighting Designer
Ben Woodhall – Assistant Director
Olivia Gogh – Assistant Designer
THE POLTERGEIST
Arcola Theatre
11 September to 11 October 2025
