Photo credit: Supplied by the production
Christmas and ghost stories are natural companions that draw inspiration from the very finest of storytellers. A Christmas Carol is an enduring classic that tells of four spirits that visited Ebenezer Scrooge the night before Christmas. Kindly ghosts offer redemption and set the tone for intimate stories that can enthral and captivate audiences. We're able to enjoy ghost stories because they are told from a safe distance and set in a time and place far away from our own lives. It was Charles Dickens who firmly planted this form of storytelling in the Victorian era.
This production from Edwyrdian Tales is presented by Matthew Wood and brilliantly plugs into the imagination. Three stories are told with compelling clarity, and whilst they crank up more tension than the average Dickensian tale, there is the same inherent sense of cosiness. Matthew Wood looks every inch the English gentleman and holds court with every measured syllable of speech. He makes effective use of sparse but significant props as each story gently unfolds. The first, entitled Lucky's Grove, was written by H. Russell Wakefield as part of a collection of stories called The Clock Strikes 12.
Mr Braxton is a wealthy gentleman and owns a country estate known as Abingdale Hall. Preparations are well under way for Christmas and begins to decorate the family pile. He instructs estate manager Curtis to procure the finest tree as the centrepiece of festivities. However, Curtis and his co-workers unwittingly cut down a tree from Lucky's Grove, land that has, until now, remained untouched since pre-Christian times. As family and friends gather for Christmas, a string of mysterious events befall them.
The second story is an interpretation of Algernon Blackwood's novella, The Wendigo. Simpson, a young student sets off travelling in the deep forests of Canada. He makes contact with his uncle Dr Cathcart, who is a psychologist specialising in hysteria. They set up camp and Simpson goes moose hunting with Defego as his guide. The Quebec native is deeply superstitious and tells of a mystical monster living deep in the woods called the wendigo. As they venture deeper into the wilderness, they are confronted by strange noises and odours that grow stronger. The final story in the trilogy is one penned by Matthew Wood himself and titled The Elder Son. A widowed man strives to raise his two young children, James and Anne. He curses the time consumed by his passion as a wood carver. Determined to concentrate on his children's welfare, he locks the room to his workshop. However, a traumatic event causes him to fashion a wood carving once again.
Three contrasting stories complement each other perfectly as Matthew Wood expertly recreates multiple characters. A one-man show places tremendous pressure on the performer, who has to relate a multi-faceted story without a cast to support him. But he pulls it off with no more than a bead of sweat crossing his forehead. It’s a remarkable performance and a perfect treat for the upcoming festive season.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Brian Penn
Ghost Stories for Christmas continues to tour the UK, with tour dates and further info here.