A chilling new production has taken root in London's West End, proving that the most potent hauntings are not of places, but of people. "Paranormal Activity," inspired by the hit film franchise, is now holding audiences in a vice grip of terror at the Ambassadors Theatre until 28 March.
Stagecraft Sorcery Creates Unforgettable Fear
Directed by Felix Barrett of the immersive theatre pioneers Punchdrunk, this is no mere adaptation. It is a reinvention of horror for the stage, trading the film's signature video footage for palpable, in-the-moment dread. The production smartly avoids relying on screens for scares, instead using masterful stagecraft to make the fear feel immediate and inescapable.
Levi Holloway's script follows Jimmy (Patrick Heusinger) and Lou (Melissa James), a couple who have relocated from Chicago to London hoping to escape Lou's disturbing "spells." The central, unsettling thesis is clear from the start: places are not haunted, people are. Their new home, a stunning two-storey set designed by Fly Davis and sliced open for the audience's view, becomes a character in itself, every shadowy nook ripe with menace.
Technical Brilliance and Earned Terror
The true stars of this show are the technical elements that work in flawless, sinister harmony. Chris Fisher's illusions are genuinely eye-popping, provoking not just screams but gasps of bewildered delight at the sheer audacity of the spectacle. Anna Watson's lighting is quicksilver, expertly guiding the audience's gaze and plunging parts of the house into sinister blackouts or murky greys.
While the script can be perfunctory and occasionally hammy, these flaws are utterly forgivable. Every jump scare is meticulously earned, and every magical trick is deeply embedded in the twisted narrative of the doomed couple. The tension is ratcheted up with such precision that the fear lingers long after the curtain falls.
A Haunting That Follows You Home
The ultimate testament to the production's power is its lingering effect. The experience seeps into your subconscious, transforming ordinary nocturnal sounds and shadows into sources of fresh panic. It's a rare theatrical feat that can make you pull the duvet over your head at 3am, heart racing, desperately reminding yourself it was only a play.
With supporting turns from Jackie Morrison as an expert brought in to help and Pippa Winslow as Jimmy's grinning mother on a video call, the human drama grounds the supernatural chaos. "Paranormal Activity" at the Ambassadors Theatre is a triumph of atmosphere and illusion, setting a new benchmark for horror on stage and confirming that the most frightening hauntings are the ones we carry with us.
