As I walked with my friend, Annie, to the Mayflower Theatre for the performance of Ghost Stories yesterday evening (24 June 2025), we babbled excitedly about our predictions and hopes for the production.
For context, despite there even being a film adaption, neither of us had looked into the play beforehand since we wanted to go in blind (I find that is usually the best way with scares!). I remember pointedly commenting: “I just hope they don’t rely on loud jump scares. I always jump at loud noises, even if it isn’t scary. It’s so cheap.”
The first thing the show greeted us with was the loudest sound known to man. And it left us both giggling with glee.
Such thunderous, reverberating noises were a constant element and worked to great effect, thanks to the sound design by Nick Manning, having the audience explode with screams before laughing at ourselves.
I actually laughed a lot more than I expected. This is certainly a show which has a good sense of humour, rather than just dousing audiences in dread.
When it comes to the tone, Ghost Stories strikes the perfect balance for those looking for a night of fun at the theatre -we are not talking about Sarah Kane levels of unsettling; this is more on par with Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith’s Inside No.9.
I also must praise lighting designer James Farncombe, Scott Penrose for the brilliant special effects, and set/costume designer Jon Bausor. Each of these aspects came together to create that hypnotic magic of the theatre that really makes a viewing worthwhile. You can expect to see an array of fantastic visuals, from glowing red forests, to fluidly moving sets, to haunting creatures.
The cast handle the material well, with Dan Tetsell as Professor Goodman making a strong initial impression as the first to enter. He can deliver on both the somewhat arrogant but likable humour of the academic, as well as the more serious and heightened moments. David Cardy, Lucas Albion, and Clive Mantel also do a great job as the percipients.
Overall, an enjoyable experience for those looking for some fearful fun with friends.
Tickets for Ghost Stories (Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 June 2025) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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