Paranormal Activity makes fear feel real at the Ambassadors

Paranormal Activity | Ambassadors Theatre until 25 April

Casts Real Fear on Stage. A hyper-real set, clever scares and twists that keep you guessing. Paranormal Activity is a spooky treat for fans of the genre.

Paranormal Activity, currently playing at the Ambassadors in London, is a surprisingly clever and suspenseful theatrical experience. The hyper-realistic, two-storey house set is so detailed you could practically live in it, and the clever practical effects, projections and well-placed jump scares are all intrinsically tied to the story. The result is something that feels more like a thriller than a traditional horror. If you enjoy spooky theatre with intelligent twists and turns, you’ll likely find this production engaging.

I’m notoriously averse to horror films and haven’t had the slightest inclination to watch any of the seven Paranormal Activity films, so I approached this play with a certain amount of trepidation.

The play opens in darkness with a voice-over: “Here I offer an irrevocable truth, born from a lifetime of rigorous doubt. Here it is, places aren’t haunted, people are.” Audiences are requested to keep the secrets, but I must say this is a massive clue to what ensues.

I understand that this is a fresh story, so even if you’ve seen the films, you’ll experience a different story. An American couple move to London, settle into their house, and spooky things begin to happen.

The house becomes the engine of fear

The tension builds subtly and cleverly, starting with the shimmer of a blind on a door and escalating to other inexplicable events. The effects are a mixture of the practical, projections and sound design. We are plunged into darkness periodically, there are jump scares, and we are tricked into believing we are dealing with a real person when we are not. It all works superbly. I did feel, however, that it was a little like a time travel story in that you enjoy the experience at the time, but immediately afterwards it doesn’t quite stand up retrospectively to close scrutiny.

I think this play is superior to similar productions such as 2:22 A Ghost Story where the jump scares are merely foxes screaming in the field next door and have nothing to do with the story. Here, all the jump scares are linked directly to the narrative. The twists and turns along the way really make it play more like a thriller. It’s tense, yes, but not overly scary, although a chap in the row threw himself across his companion during one of the jumps, which I thought was a little over the top.

Performances and dramatic weight

With so much care and attention devoted to the set and effects, the drama can often be left wanting. Here, I’m delighted to say that the script by Levi Holloway is both engaging and nuanced, touching on elements of mental health and gradually shifting its focus as the play progresses. The cast is technically composed of four actors. I can’t say any more as that would be a real giveaway. The main couple, James and Lou, are played effectively by Patrick Heusinger and Melissa James, who create a believable couple on the run from previous trauma. They are ably supported by Pippa Winslow as Jack Ethylene’s interfering, overbearing mother. Jackie Morrison, as the psychic Ethylene, makes the most of her one scene at the end of Act One, delivering a fabulous curtain line.

Direction and design

The play is superbly directed by Punch Drunk’s Felix Barrett, and both he and the illusions designer Chris Fisher have clearly sat in different places in the theatre to ensure that audiences get the same experience, regardless of where they are sitting. Something I feel a lot of directors neglect to do.

Paranormal Activity at the Ambassadors in London offers a hyper-realistic set and cleverly integrated scares that feel earned within the story. For theatre lovers who enjoy tension and smart production design, and a play with lots of twists and turns, this show is well worth your visit.

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