Just in time for spooky season, Paranormal Activity is haunting the Grand Opera House York stage this week.
Horror, at its best, is illuminating, a fact that seems to be deeply understood by writer and director Felix Barrett. It brings what tries to remain hidden to light, a confrontation of the self, revelation about what it means to be human – and this new take on Paranormal Activity has all of this as well as just being good old-fashioned scary.
Seeing horror live on stage is an extraordinary experience; the feeling of anticipation in the audience, the expectation to be scared, the buzz of nervous laughter as the lights go down.
As a fan of the original film franchise – and with fond memories of renting the films on DVD to watch with my high school best friends on a Saturday – I was more than a little excited to see this on stage.
Though the story, for the most part, departs from its inspiration, there are still some recognisable callbacks to the iconic first film. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two iterations is the lack of ‘found footage’, however the stage production finds ingenious ways to build modern tech into the show.
In fact, the way Barrett brings the show as a whole up-to-date is very smartly done, with no reference feeling contrived.
At the heart of the story is James Bye and Hannah Sinclair Robinson as seemingly-happily-married James and Lou – who are haunted by not just the spiritual entity in their home but also by a past of secrets yet unspoken. But as they say, the truth will out.
The couple have moved from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that ‘places aren’t haunted, people are’.
Paranormal Activity
Bye and Sinclair Robinson are fantastic together, weaving a believable chemistry that still betrays the simmering tension underneath. These are two people who are desperately trying to understand and be understood. Lou’s frustration at not being believed is palpable, while James’ humanising moments of sweet endearment contrasts well with his eroding scepticism.
When the couple were at their most fraught, Barrett’s decision to keep them apart by whole floors, walls or rooms, was especially well thought out.
It’s a commendably naturalistic portrayal of a couple going through something so super natural. There’s also great turns from supporting cast members Jo Castleton as Etheline Cotgrave and Caroline Faber as Carolanne, who both have their moments to shine.
Sinclair Robinson – who shone in Frantic Assembly’s Lost Atoms – is especially good at being the emotional centre point of the show (and I’ve never been so scared by someone wearing a dressing gown before).
The real star, however, is the collaboration between the set, lighting, sound and illusion designers.
Starting with set design (Fly Davis), it’s a beautifully realised two-storey house, that is laid out to the audience almost like a dollhouse, with added terrors hidden within. One thing I loved about the lighting design (Anna Watson), was the reminder of the real world just outside the doomed house – such as police lights and passing vehicles.
The sound design from Gareth Fry ranges from the cleverly subtle – crackles in the record player when something abnormal walks by – to the overbearingly loud, and was responsible for more than a few jump scares.
Chris Fisher’s illusion designs brings all of these elements together brilliantly, and the exclamations from the audience from an extremely well-pulled off misdirection must be very satisfying to hear.
Of course, it would be a horror in itself to give too much away about the show; but if Act One slowly builds up the tension – and the scares – tighter and tighter, then Act Two ramps that up to a maximum.
Strap in, brace yourself, and get ready to question your belief in the paranormal.
Paranormal Activity is at Grand Opera House York until Saturday 3 October. Tickets start from £25 and are available here.