An atmospheric modern gothic thriller, oozing technical brilliance and spectacular performances.
What makes a good ghost story? Magical realism? An eldritch horror? Supernatural revenge? For writer Time Foley, it’s a moody, brooding botanical terror set in a classic English country manor, woven with modern characters and a foreboding sense of dread throughout. Protagonist Joe (played expertly by George Naylor) is frustrated by his lack of acting gigs, forced to work bar shifts he hates, mingled with a complicated love life he enthusiastically critiques. A stranger offers him a large fee for what amounts to a spooky walk around his country pad for a week dressed as a historical ghost. Thus, the old adage “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” unfolds for our hero.
Firstly, this isn’t really a ghost story, in that the creature is revealed slightly too early in Joe’s week (first night!) and is clearly not a conceptual imaginary aberration. For the audience’s fear to emerge, theatrical magic needs to play into concealment and revelation. The trope that the imagination conjures worse things than any physical entity should have been leant into further. The incredibly effective lighting and video design by Joshua Pharo is nothing short of brilliant. Clever use of shadow, colour and hidden lightsources are exploited; even utilising a mobile phone torch to elicit dread as we wait for something to show itself ensured our eyes were constantly adjusting to the unknown. This is merged with a soundscape full of eerie yet familiar sounds- raindrops, wildlife and synth-wave. Occasionally, though, the sounds feel like a clichéd ASMR session with dramatic screeches, shrieks and bangs eliciting a cheap jumpscare. The play feels smarter than that.
Naylor’s frantic, intense fourth-wall-breaking monologues are powerful to watch; his ability to ponder, evoke chaos and change his physicality constantly is laudable. Combined with The Dancer (played by Oliver Baines) whose character feels like a direct counterpart to Joe, where ephemeral movements make way for eternal metaphors. References to the fae world, witchcraft and mythology are touched on before a blisteringly fast final third, frantically filled with exposition and confusion.
With both writer Tim Foley and theatre company ThickSkin being Mancunian, the elements of classism, privilege and capitalism evoke similarities with Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing. Themes of morality in the face of poverty, social responsibility and strength through personal adversity it definitely explored throughout the script, but only in brief, intense flashes. This is something that can definitely be explored more, as the play really demonstrates “everyone has a price”.
As a 90 minute production, it is technically brilliant. A slick modern thriller that doesn’t quite tip into full horror mode but explores elements of gothic writing themes, English mythology and a mystical blend of stellar stagecraft. Perhaps if given wider development and a longer run time with an interval, certain premises could be explored. In particular, the delay to the reveal of the creature, the removal of too many clichéd horror ASMR tropes and a focus on what the play wants to say. Presently, it feels as though the genre of horror is a metaphor for class and capitalism. Interwoven frenetically with relationship drama, career woes and Joe’s witty one-liners, the script proves to be frequently exhausting to keep up with. Hone the focus and allow the horror elements to breathe. Give the audience some credit for having the stamina to ride it out, and the payoff will be worth it.
It Walks Around the House at Nights plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 28th March 2026.