Review: Ghost Stories at Lyceum Theatre

“…marvellously frightening…will have you gripping on to your seat…”

Ghost Stories by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, Lyceum Theatre Sheffield

by Sophie Dodworth

Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s Ghost Stories is on its first ever full national UK tour, making a stop at The Sheffield Lyceum to see if it can scare any northerners as much as it has done the rest of the country. Will it prevail? Hold on to your seats as it’s going to be one hellish ride…

Ghost Stories has been a smash hit in the West End since 2010, has toured around the world and in 2017 an adaptation of the play was created for film, starring Paul Whitehouse and Martin Freeman.

The plot takes you on a journey alongside Professor Goodman, (arch-sceptic) played by Dan Tetsell, as he sets out to debunk the paranormal. He is investigating three rumoured hauntings, taking the accounts from a businessman, a teenage boy and a night-watchman. Will Goodman be able to rationalise the goings-on and explain these happenings in a typical manner or will he have to succumb to the fact that, there is more to this than meets the eye?

Running for only eighty minutes and without an interval, this adds to the potency as there is no time to pause and relax those tense shoulders created by the atmosphere in the auditorium. At the end of the performance, the audience is asked to keep as much of the content as possible to themselves so not to reveal any spoilers and keep future attendees inquisitive and without any prior knowledge.

Without giving anything else away, the actors for this tour must have a mention. All on stage maintained their professionalism and creative flair throughout with their finely tuned acting, delivering the best action and developing the storyline with gusto. Dan Tetsell, David Cardy, Eddie Loodmer-Elliott and Clive Mantle all come with an impressive history and their seasoned skills add style and magic to an already excellent show.

The set is potentially one of the best that theatre currently offers. It is the crème de la crème of set design. Some of it you find yourself taking a second and third look, wondering how it is possible to make such a realistic-looking room. It changes so slickly but also has you wondering where all this set is fitting, there is so much of it. A great example of how a magnificent set design can really catapult a show to another level. Hats off to set designer Jon Bausor.

I have never experienced actual screaming and jumping in my seat at the theatre before until seeing Ghost Stories. With a tensed stomach, knees firmly glued together and stiff-as-a-board in my seat, this really was quite a fresh encounter. How marvellous for a production to create such emotions in its audience. Sounds played through the corridors and into the toilets of the theatre prior to the show really helped build intensity, which you then carry through to your seat.

Not for faint-hearted or anyone under the age of fifteen (as the tour recommends) and does come with some rather sensitive subject matters. Certainly, perfect for anyone wanting solid entertainment and ideal for lovers of thrillers and horrors. A marvellously frightening piece of theatre that will have you gripping on to your seat and tensing in suspense.

Ghost Stories plays at Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 15 February. Tickets are available here.

Sophie Dodworth is an experienced theatre reviewer. Prior to joining NAR she has written reviews for multiple review sites including The Reviews Hub, and sees reviewing as a lovely break from being a busy mum. Sophie has herself tread the boards, working full time as a professional singer many years ago and more recently in amateur productions.