Review: 'Ghost Stories' at Curve is the cleverest kind of theatre ☆☆☆☆
Ghost Stories is the hugely successful theatre production which has won massive critically acclaim in the West End. It's now touring the UK and fans can currently see it at Leicester's incredible Curve theatre.
Created by The League of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, co-creator and director of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows. Ghost Stories mixes the very best of theatre with the buzz of a thrill-ride, delivering something truly unique.
When Professor Goodman, arch-sceptic out to debunk the paranormal, embarks on an investigation of three apparent hauntings – as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child – Goodman finds himself at the outer limits of rationality, and fast running out of explanations.
The secret to the show is incredible effects and surprises, and for that reason, we're not permitted to give anything away! So how do we review a show where we can't really tell you anything?
Well, let's focus on what we can say. Firstly, the production here is of the highest calibre; You can tell immediately that it's had a successful run. The actors, the lighting, the sets, the staging, the sound design here is all first class. It has to be, or the whole thing would fall down.
We went into this a little cynical Can theatre genuinely be scary? Well yes it can, and it's all of those elements we just mentioned that come together and make it so. I sat on the end of an aisle and literally spent half of it looking over my shoulder. My wife who I saw the show with spent much of it squeezing my hand. It's not the props or the noises that are the most scary thing, it's the tension, and that is just done brilliantly.
We mentioned some effects and of course we don't want to give anything away but you only have to look at who the writers are and the fact one of the core team produced Derren Brown's show and that will give you an idea of how well effects are done. There are things you will see that will leave you completely puzzled, and wondering "how the hell did they do that?"
And for us, that's the best part of this show. Call it magic, call it effects... whatever, but there are things you will see and you will just be blown away by how impressive it is.
The writing and script as well, so brilliant, and so perfectly delivered. If we can compare this show to anything it would be 'Inside No.9'... that's the only thing we can think of that has a similar vibe.
It's a beautiful production, we loved that there's no interval, we loved that it's not too long.. it'll make you laugh, it will have you on edge and it will really, really impress you.
Go and see it, it's such a fantastic experience. 'Ghost Stories' is at Curve until Saturday.