Voice of London

Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson make a triumphant return to the London’s West End scene with their re-adaptation of the 2010 play Ghost Stories. 

Originally making its debut at the Lyric Theatre almost a decade ago, the play followed its hugely successful stage run by transforming into the critically-acclaimed horror film of the same name.

At the quaint Ambassadors Theatre in London’s illustrious West End, you can instantly feel your heart pumping as you make your way down the stairs, ominously decorated with crime scene tape, random numbers scribbled in black charcoal and industrial lights dimly lighting your way towards your seat. 

A dingy beige drape with the words “safety curtain” written in crimson-red capital letters secures any preview of what is yet to come. Frightening music softly fills the air as the crowd chatters among each other, speaking of praises from word of mouth and positive reviews of theatre critics. 

Although the production urges the audience to remain tight lipped about what goes on after the safety curtain rises (encouraging the hashtag #KeepTheSecrets), I can tell you this: you begin the show attending a lecture from Professor Phillip Goodman played by Simon Lipkin, who then guides you through three terrifying recollections of paranormal encounters from Tony Matthews (Garry Cooper), Simon Rifkind (Preston Nyman) and Mike Priddle (Richard Sutton). Nyman and Dyson’s creative and uncanny writing style provides the story with an unsuspected twist that concludes the play with your jaw on the ground. 

After surviving the grueling 90 minutes of constant edge-of-your seat suspense and eerie chills down your spine, you receive a certificate of survival, as well as a pin badge that says “I was brave enough to book”. It’s a great way to acknowledge the accomplishment of enduring a nail-biting horror playwright experience. 

Encountering terror on stage is a wonderfully different experience than watching a horror film at the cinema. While both deliver dread and panic, being immersed in the live-action fear was something that will keep you looking over your shoulder with paranoia on the way home and sleeping with your TV on during the night.

If you think you’re brave enough to book, you can catch Ghost Stories at the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre until January 2020 by purchasing tickets here.

Words: Tatiana Solomon

Photos: Flickr and Tatiana Solomon