Hill House

 Adapted from Shirley Jacksons best seller and the 1963 film version The Haunting, The Haunting Of Hill House is a suitably spooky and rather chilling piece of theatre. Set during a paranormal research month, an empty, supposedly haunted house is studied by Dr Montigue and his wife (  Jasper Britten and Gemma Churchill) along to help is sassy lesbian Theodora ( Sophie Lenglinger) the house’s soon to be owner Luke ( Robin Morissey) and the brittle, griefing but psychic Eleanor ( Clancy Ryan ) and as they explore the house’s secrets they are faced with some increasingly frightening paranormal experiences as well as Eleanor’s disintegrating psychi and mental health. 

I loved it, as it was a real cinematic romp with lighting and video experts Chris Davy and Duncan McClean providing a real sense of a warping and surreal gothic American house, in between well acted and dramatic set pieces. 

The visual  effects were truly impressive! 

Some wonderfully playfully special effects added to the horror, and I must admit to be baffled when an innocuous shoulder wrap suddenly leapt from the floor to fly with pinpoint precision to land perfectly centred around Eleanor’s neck. 

A wonderful bit of theatre 

Clancy Ryan as the harried Eleanor was a find as was Sophie Lenginger as Theodora and both gave every bit of a performance as Julie Harris and Claire Bloom did in the film version but without the true and necessary hysteria 

My sister Janet came with me and left me with this message when she got home 

Scared the shir out of myself driving home ..leaving Trelawyd I switched to full beam...hurtling along at 40mph I must have twisted the stick with out realising ( I don't drive at night tbf ) and was plunged into darkness ..panicking I couldn't get the back on ..my legs were like jelly when I got home lol

The German would have loved it