Having seen Ghost Stories at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith at the weekend, I now have the tricky task of writing a review, whilst respecting the director’s final wishes ‘to maintain the secrecy of Ghost Stories’.

Described as ‘a truly terrifying theatrical experience from The League of Gentleman’s master of macabre Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, co-creator and director of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows’, I was intrigued to find out more. I found a teaser trailer on YouTube, which showed nothing more than a petrified audience, wide eyed and opened mouthed at what they were seeing – but nothing about the show itself. I was sold!

Having read the promotional leaflet on my way into the theatre, which strongly advises ‘those of a nervous disposition to think seriously before attending’, I was a bit sceptical. I don’t consider myself as having a nervous disposition, I don’t have a problem with scary films – and what can they really do on stage that can compete with the special effects and computer enhanced graphics in horror films nowadays?

As it happens they can do quite a lot.

The performance starts from the minute you enter the theatre. The walk to our seats was uneven and taped up like a cross between a building site and an accident scene. We even had to find our seats in the darkness, with just a few dim flickering lights rigged up around the blackened, blood smeared safety curtain.

With dramatic music, lighting and a couple more theatrical tricks to tease all the senses, the cast of just five men really do managed to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the eighty minute performance. There were plenty of screams from the audience and a nail biting twist that left you feeling both perplexed and thoroughly entertained. Well worth the few grey hairs I left with.

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