This chilling and engaging hour of storytelling continues to perform at the Loondon theatre until the 2nd November.
Featuring four very different but equally chillingly atmospheric stories by four talented writers, More…Ghost Stories at Candlelight offers a compelling perspective on what it means to be ‘haunted’.
Closing out on its current tour in London, HighTide’s show beautifully uses one story to frame the others to ensure that the audience is suitably engaged and pulled into each story – thanks to the spooky staging through the soft lighting thanks the gorgeous placement of the candles and the use of musical instruments (not simply through music but the way in which they are used to create sound effects).
Each of the stories each deals with the way in which we can be haunted in real life – it doesn’t have to always to do with being paranormally haunted. These are all stories that deal with human emotions and trauma that can really pack a punch – but due to the different styles of writing and emotions each deal with can be disjointed in places.
To say too much about each story would ruin the impact that each one will have depending on the audience, but emotions such as grief, guilt and vulnerability that won’t fail to resonate with audiences. There are moments in each of story that prove to be deeply unsettling, horrific and poetic in the way in which they have been written – in particular ‘She’ by Aisha Zia’ and ‘Lover’s Gate’
While who wrote which story is unclear and the way in which the stories are connected doesn’t feel quite seamless, there is much to engage here. There is much description that makes the story come alive but perhaps the stories would be enlivened with a more bolder staging.
The performances from Becky Barry and Sharan Phull are equally raw and filled with intensity that it is difficult to take your eyes away from them no matter what story is being told. There are moments in which the melodrama of the script threatens to overwhelm the performances but it is overall handled with great grace and sensitivity – particularly in regards to Phull’s rendition of ‘She’ that unleashes a huge range of emotions, while Becky Barry’s performance of ‘Breath’ is heartbreaking in the way in which grief and guilt takes hold. ‘Lover’s Gate’ though is the most haunting and chilling to watch and hear unfold.
The whole show feels intimate and confiding thanks to Emily Ling Williams’ production that makes full use of the confined (but of course effective) space of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse that ensures that the audience consistently feels as though they are close to what is unfolding.
Intriguing and intimate to watch this is a way in which to experience a modern day ghost story on stage.
By Emma Clarendon
To book tickets visit: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/more-ghost-stories/
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐