Feel The Fear But Do It Anyway!

The most powerful ‘ghost’ stories aren’t those that state the obvious, but those which have all the appearance of reality, engendering a belief ‘that it could happen to me’.

Last night I was peering over my shoulder after an evening of Paranormal Activity at Leeds Playhouse!

Since the 70’s, when The Exorcist took the nation by storm outraging church leaders and achieving local notoriety with several Council bans, movie goers have demanded to be frightened at a far more sophisticated level!

...an overbearing, unhelpful feeling in the pit of your stomach from beginning to end!But in the absence of Spielberg-style wizardry, the challenge of maintaining edge-of-your-seat suspense, especially in a theatre, is a real tough one for stage directors but, I have to say, that Leeds Playhouse and Simon Friend Entertainment have come up trumps hard on the heels of flower girl Eliza Doolittle!

Last night there was an air of expectation as the theatre fell dark and loud thumping music filled the auditorium for what seemed like an age, creating an air of unease.

Then, lights up and we were in a London flat with James and Lou Singer (Patrick Heusinger / Melissa James), an ordinary Chicago couple who had moved to the Big
Smoke.

Such a normal setting.

Then the stories start to unfold: depression, sleep-walking, untruths, lost time, things that go bump in the night, an over-bearing, bible bashing mother-in-law (Pippa Winslow as James’ mum Carolanne) and the atmosphere builds and builds.

Throw in a quack medium (Jackie Morrison as Etheline) and the scene is set.

Levi Holloway is the writer and Felix Barett the Director but, by involving illusionist, Chris Fisher, this trio of mischief have delivered something that’s well worth seeing and done so well on stage.

It may not be Spielberg but, without any spoilers, I promise that you will have the ‘jumps’ Hollywood’s maestro gave moviegoers watching Jaws, audience gasps as they realise what’s happening, and an overbearing, unhelpful feeling in the pit of your stomach from beginning to end!

I loved all the actors, especially Pippa Winslow and Jackie Morrison, but, rest assured, this is not Hammer House of Horror where Frankenstein has bolts in his neck, Dracula wears a black cape and, when the lights go up, everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

This time the prospect of collecting your car on a dark night from nearby Mabgate or being left to make a cuppa alone when you get home because your other half has already gone to bed, could leave you feeling nervous for a few weeks!

Make sure you have someone’s hand to hold. This one will send a chill down your spine faster than ice lobbed into your summer shorts!

Paranormal Activity
Leeds Playhouse: Courtyard Theatre
Until 3rd August
Box office 0113 213 7700. Book online leedsplayhouse.org.uk