You are in for some scares and chills when you see the new show Paranormal Activity.
Now playing at the Ambassador’s Theatre, Paranormal Activity had a trial run in Leeds earlier this year and now it’s in London West End to packed crowds, crowds that scream and yell at the eerie happenings on the stage.
Paranormal Activity is a very successful film franchise (seven films from 2009 to 2021) so it was ripe to transfer to the stage, and it’s a successful transfer as the chills and thrills from the movie remain, and are more spooky because it is live!
A young couple – James and Lou (Patrick Heusinger and Melissa James – both Americans) move to London from Chicago to start fresh after Lou’s mental health issues while dealing with childhood trauma. James goes to work while Lou stays home working remotely. Strange things start to happen while Lou is at home; the lights and the television start turning on and off, there are loud unexplained noises, a feeling that something/someone is in the room, and the gas turns on without any explanation. James chalks it up to his wife’s previous mental health issues. But when the unexplained phenomena (paranormal activity) happens when James is home, they seek the help of a psychic (Jackie Morrison) to help them to understand and to perhaps get rid of this unknown thing. But the psychic flees in terror, and after an unexpected visit from James’ mother Caroleanne (Pippa Winslow, also American), things may never be the same, especially after James reveals a very dark event that took place when he was younger.
This is a fantastic production. Chalk it up to the excellent work of the cast who pull off the chills and thrills spectacularly (at one point Lou appears twice on stage, and Winslows’ facial expressions tells us something is not right).
Horrors and hauntings are really hard to do right on stage but in this production they have the audiences on the edge of their seats. Suspense, frights and illusions (by Chris Fisher) are all in play, and the scares are sudden and unexpected.
The direction (Felix Barrett), lighting (Anna Watson), sound (Gareth Fry), the story (Levi Holloway) and various other stagecraft make Paranormal Activity a bone chillingly good and scary time.
Paranormal Activity is on until March 28, 2026