Review: It Walks Around the House at Night at Theatre by the Lake

“…a damned good scare…”

It Walks Around the House at Night by Tim Foley, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

By Ken Powell

I am, at best, lukewarm about horror movies and even less keen on horror stories – whether novels or short stories. The major issue is that if the ‘scares’ don’t work for you, then they become rather silly and often simply ludicrous. Anyone attempting to pull off a horror in the theatre then, is either brave or foolhardy because there’s a risk of performing night after night to bored audiences if you’ve got it completely wrong.

Or, you have to be clever.

Touring company, ThickSkin, have achieved a near-perfect production with this part theatre, part-storytelling show by being very,, very clever. I don’t know the story behind Tim Foley writing this tale, but I like to think that he sat down trying to work out how to ”safeguard” a horror from being a laughable flop. If he did, he succeeded.

So how was this miracle achieved? Well, I can tell you my thoughts and that’s probably best because otherwise I would have to tell you all about the cracking moments in the play and that, of course, would be spoilers. You really don’t want spoilers. In fact, I suggest you do what I did and go and see the show without knowing anything more than the title. You can look online if you want to find out the premise but, honestly, I’d let George Naylor – playing the central character who narrates the events that unfold – tell you in his own words and actions.

The words, in fact, are the first element of brilliance. Foley has written a witty and engaging script and Naylor delivers every word flawlessly. You are hooked by the story from the first sentence until the last. This is simply damned good storytelling.

Related to this is the humour. This is no comedy but nor is it trying to depress you, as some horrors do with their unrelenting misery. Instead, witty comments and remarks are littered throughout the ninety minutes, giving relief at times of tension but also simply making the whole time enjoyable even if the scares don’t hit home.

Yet here’s the thing: the scares do hit home. Honestly, I did a fair amount of jumping and I really don’t normally react to these kinds of tactics. What was different? While the acting is very important – that goes without saying – it is the sound and lighting effects that make the show so very effective. The sound (designed by Pete Malkin) was exactly right – neither too loud nor too soft and always bang on time. The lighting and video effects (designed by Joshua Pharo) could have been awful and ruined everything. But in this show everything was timed to perfection.

So, obviously, if you’re a horror fan, this a damned good scare. But if you just enjoy an entertaining yarn or really effective theatre, this is also for you. George Naylor captivates the audience, bringing both his character alive and that of the others we never see. Whether you react to the jump scares or not, you will be drawn into the story and delighted with the power of the storytelling. And my one spoiler of the night that I think I can get away with – the story stayed with me long enough to think twice about getting a drink from my fridge in the middle of the night. You have been warned!

It Walks Around the House at Night plays at Theatre by the Lake until Saturday 21 February.

Ken Powell is chief editor for Northern Arts Review and is also a bestselling author and writer for various publications around the world. A former school teacher, he continues to write educational books along with fiction and travelogues. You can find all his books and various websites here including his popular TEDx talk about the Global Village. He lives with his family in a wonderfully isolated village in West Cumbria where he enjoys drinking tea, chatting with the birds and winding up his dog. You can support his work (or just buy him a coffee) here.