Review: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, Ambassadors Theatre
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Paranormal Activity is a brand new story on stage, inspired by the film franchise of the same name. The story follows a couple – James and Lou – who have recently moved from Chicago to London.
One of the earliest impressions that the show gives is the attention to detail in the set design (by Fly Davis). The story never leaves the couple’s home, and we are shown every room (kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom) except one, the nursery (a deliberate decision to create tension later on in the show). In the kitchen, British foods can be spotted on the shelves, including Yorkshire tea, Quality Streets and Kelloggs cereal – a great addition to highlight the show’s setting.
The show does a strikingly good job at creating tension, from the lighting (Anna Watson), sound (Gareth Fry), direction (Felix Barrett) and the acting. The tension causes lots of breath holding and sudden shocked sounds from the audience which contributes to the overall tension even more.
In theory, horror as a genre should arguably be more effective on stage than on screen because the audience are in the same space as the story and the terror within it. However, many horror stage shows do not utilise this advantage nearly as much as they perhaps could. Paranormal Activity, though, absolutely does use this to its advantage. At the start, the audience are instructed to close their eyes, immediately creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust before the first scene has even begun. As the show goes on, lighting and sound are used effectively multiple times, both in the audience and on stage to enforce that feeling of unsafety and danger.
This is a show that leaves the audience unable to trust their own eyes. There are some fantastic special effects used causing bewilderment and horror to ripple through the audience. The terrified gasps that travel through the audience are a testament to just how unsettlingly well these special effects are executed. The end of the show allows for multiple interpretations, all just as haunting as one another. The show’s ending also reinforces the feeling of being unable to trust your senses or the events that may or may not have just been unravelling on stage.
The acting, especially from Melissa James as Lou and Patrick Heusinger as James is excellent, contributing largely to the amount of tension that the show creates. Additionally, for such a scary show, there are some great comedy moments, especially in the first act. These comedy moments allow the audience to quickly take a liking to and warm to Lou and James, heightening the impact of the events that follow.
Accessibility at the theatre is relatively good. There is step free access to the foyer, and a lift to take you down to the stalls where the wheelchair spaces are located, as well as an accessible toilet and a bar where you can also buy programmes and merchandise. There are some narrow corridors, but these are manageable. There is also an access host to support you, and all of the staff are friendly and helpful.
If you want to be terrified, this is the show to see. If you think you can hold your nerve, this is the show to test that theory.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Kate Soper
