Attempting a ghost story on stage is always a risky business. If the scares do not land, the whole thing quickly collapses into something silly. But touring company ThickSkin have pulled off a cracking piece of theatre with It Walks Around The House At Night, and horror fans like me were in our absolute element.
Written by Bruntwood Prize winner Tim Foley, the play centres on Joe, a broke, out-of-work actor who takes what seems like an easy, well-paid gig pretending to be a ghost at a secluded country manor for a wealthy, handsome client. Beneath the sinister atmosphere, Foley weaves a subtle, tender LGBTQ+ thread between the two men, which gives the eerie narrative some proper heart and vulnerability rather than just relying on easy shocks.
As someone obsessed with dark fantasy and horror like Pan’s Labyrinth, this shadowy, folklore-steeped world was right up my street. The parallels to Guillermo del Toro’s dark fairy tales are everywhere. Joshua Pharo’s lighting and video design projects glowing paths across the floor, turning the stage into a luminous, winding maze around the haunted grounds, while Pete Malkin’s sound keeps the tension ratcheted up to the maximum.
George Naylor is outstanding as Joe, holding the room with sharp comic timing before turning on a sixpence into sheer panic. Part of the show’s genius is the deliberate hiding of key characters, leaving Joe to conjure them through his storytelling alone. But he is not entirely on his own. Oliver Baines appears as The Dancer, a lurking, physical presence in the shadows whose unsettling movements bring the true nightmare of the house alive.
With its award-winning pedigree and sell-out runs, it is easy to see why this production has picked up such a dedicated cult following. Directed with real flair by Neil Bettles, it blends supernatural dread, genuine jump scares, and inventive staging to dramatic effect.
I loved this chilling, imaginative production. It works brilliantly for this time of year as the autumn nights draw in. Superb.
Remember it’s the 5th of November. Plus, Canal Street card holders get 10% off at the bars and restaurants across The Lowry theatre.