Curve Theatre Leicester – until 7th June 2025
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
4****
They say ghosts don’t haunt places, they haunt people. The genius of Ghost Stories is that your own imagination and inherent terrors will enhance the fear factor behind this superbly slick production. The less you know about what happens in Ghost Stories, the more you will enjoy the experience, as it allows you to fully immerse yourself into the jump scares and twists. Created by The League of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, this technically terrifying theatrical experience will haunt you long after the show has ended.
Through the medium of sublime storytelling, this show takes you on a journey of the supernatural. Professor Goodman, a spook sceptic guides us through the investigation of three apparent hauntings, but things are not quite what they seem. We are asked to call on our own experiences and beliefs to understand why we engage in scary stories. To prove them true or false and if so, why?
Dan Tetsell is sensational as Professor Goodman, commanding the stage with poise, precise oration and gravitas. David Cardy, Eddie Loodmer-Elliott and Clive Mantle are enthralling. Each allow their stories to unfold into abject dread, building tension and giving us chills. Surprisingly, there are many humorous moments in Ghost Stories which catch us as unaware as the horror, but that’s as much as I’m able to say. What happens in Ghost Stories, stays in Ghost Stories.
Jon Bausor’s set switches into several scenes with the use of rotation and is effectively lit by James Farncombe. A constant is the dark, cave like arches of scary blackness, which beckon us into the abyss. Nick Manning’s sound amps up the anxiety which when combined with the set and lighting makes for a truly ominous experience.
Ghost Stories is a stunning piece of fright theatre. Its suspense filled with startling stage illusions and a finale that will leave you aghast but utterly entertained.