Review: CASTING THE RUNES, Pleasance Theatre

M.R. James’ Casting The Runes has seen many adaptations since it was first published in 1911. From the 1957 film Night of the Demon to a 1979 television series, it’s easy to understand the story’s legacy as there’s a sense of sophistication to the horror. Following an acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe, Box Tail Soup’s puppet-based adaptation of James’ horror is now terrifying audience-goers across the UK, stopping at London’s The Pleasance Theatre, before continuing a UK tour.

Professor Edward Dunning is a scholar whose career relies on debunking everything supernatural. After critiquing a paper written by occult follower Mr. Karswell, Dunning begins to experience strange happenings with potentially deadly consequences after receiving mysterious runes, leading him to question everything he previously believed.

We’ve all known someone who’s seen or heard something out of the ordinary and rationalised it as a trick of light. This is how Antonia Christophers addressed the audience as we’re invited to put all logic aside for the next hour. While taking elements from other M.R. James stories and relying on some traditional horrors such as flickering lights, a banging door revealing nobody on the other side and spooky whispers creeping in on the radio, it’s in Adam Lenson’s dynamic direction that we felt the tension and unease emerge. I certainly felt my heart tightening and hairs raising while watching, even looking away to avoid any potential jump-scares.

More than just playing their roles, performers Noel Byrne and Antonia Christophers were responsible for the play’s simple yet slick staging featuring very impressive puppetry with appropriately eerie designs. All made by hand, giant doors seamlessly turned into library bookshelves, suitcases transformed into a train carriage, and vintage lamp posts glided across the stage as Dan Melroses’ chilling score played.

Both performers were phenomenal while carrying the play’s horror. Noel Byrne was gripping as Edward Dunning, making his transition from a no-nonsense sceptic to a believer feel natural as those small doubts creep in before culminating in a blood-curdling scream. Looking the audience in the eye when performing lectures, we became the students and felt compelled to listen to his eloquent ramblings.

While Byrne briefly played the malevolent Mr. Karswell, terrifyingly brought to life as a puppet clad in a wraith-like cloak, it’s Antonia Christophers who got the bulk of the puppetry. Playing everyone else from a librarian to Dunning’s assistant, it’s while playing the mysterious Rebecca Harrington that she was the most engaging. Determined to find answers about her brother’s death with eerily similar circumstances, you’d understand why Dunning would believe her by the end.

Appropriately creepy viewing this Halloween season, Box Tail Soup’s take on Casting The Runes was spine-tingling in all the right senses. Exceptionally adapted and performed by Noel Byrne and Antonia Christophers with clever staging and innovative puppetry, my only piece of advice is to bring a friend along with you.

Casting The Runes was at The Pleasance Theatre and is now touring.

Photo Credit: theatrical.solutions

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