Supernatural plays are all the rage at the moment.
The long-running success of The Woman In Black has left a legacy of theatrical chills that include Ghost Story: 22, Stranger Things: The First Shadow and the forthcoming Paranormal Activity.
Paul Unwin’s play is inspired by the well-documented 1977 story of a supernatural infestation in a North London council house.
Catherine Tate sheds her comedy persona as Peggy, the mother of three boisterous children who are living with a poltergeist who throws things around and possesses Janet (Ella Schrey-Yeats), her youngest daughter.
Maurice (David Threlfall) from the Society for Psychical Research records the goings-on which suggest events may be due to human agency: in other words, it’s the kids wot done it.
The preview performance I attended was less than impressive. The “special” effects consisted largely of blackouts and screams, furniture overturning in the dark and a menacing figure appearing at unlikely moments.
Hovering between scepticism and belief, comedy and thrills, Angus Jackson’s insecure production is lacking in atmosphere.
Tate and Threlfall do what they can with roles that have as much depth as a goldfish bowl. Neighbour Rey (Mo Sesay) pops in and out for no good reason other than to give Tate someone to argue with.
Grace Molony brings energy to daughter Margaret and Schrey-Yeats is appropriately weird as Janet, spouting a demonic voice in the best Exorcist manner.
Unwin’s attempts to explore class differences, social inadequacy and the long-term effects of grief are shallow. Any impact they might have had is eradicated by the uncertain tone.
Was it real or simply attention-seeking kids messing about? In the end, I couldn’t be bovvered.
