James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren't haunted, people are… Inspired by the iconic, terrifying film series, Paranormal Activity is a new story live on stage.
Paranormal Activity reimagines the modern ghost story with an unsettling intimacy only theatre can provide. Immersing audiences in an atmosphere of creeping dread, unseen forces, and psychological tension, Levi Holloway's script offers a bold reinterpretation of the original, blending domestic horror with mind-bending theatricality. Felix Barrett, known for breaking boundaries between audience and performer, brings his signature visionary style to the production. With innovative staging and chilling soundscapes, Paranormal Activity invites audiences to witness the inexplicable up close—and feel the fear in real time.
The original Leeds cast do what they can with stereotypical material that barely contains anything that draws us in. Performances are committed and sincere, but they are sunk by underwritten characters who exist mainly to announce their emotional states. At separate points, James and Melissa solemnly inform the other that they “don’t even recognise who you are anymore”. This is less subtext and more an instruction manual. Horror relies on empathy, and it’s hard to care about people when the script seems barely acquainted with them itself.
The script may be perfunctory, and some of it is deeply hammy, but its flaws are forgivable for such a dexterous production, with every technical element ramping up tension and toying with expectations. Every jump scare is earned, every trick embedded in the twisted narrative of this poor, doomed couple. And the fear lingers. When I wake at 3am to a strange light in my bedroom, I pull the duvet tight around my head, refusing to reopen my eyes and repeating to myself that it was just a play.
| 2025 | West End |
West End |
| 2026 | West End |
West End |
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