25 October 2011 (released)
07 November 2011
As part of the current London Horror Festival, the Courtyard Theatre stages four tales of terror guaranteed to make you jump with fear!
Hailed by the Evening Standard as London’s scariest show, I went to see Revenge Of The Grand Guignol with admittedly a fair amount of scepticism. Let’s just say that after the show I felt somewhat uneasy walking to the nearest bus stop – looking out for possible threats lurking from the shadows of Pitfield Street.
Inspired by the original Parisian Grand Guignol horror plays from yesteryear, the Theatre Of The Damned (www.theatreofthedamned.com) is proud to present new plays that offer a macabre mix of classic horror, bold new writing, pitch black comedy and gruesome drama.
First play of the night was ‘The Laboratory Of Hallucinations’ (originally by André de Lorde and Henri Bauche, translated by Samuel Winthrop and adapted by T.S. Richards and Stewart Pringle). This story of deranged scientists performing a gory brain surgery on an adulterer - and turning him into a hallucinating zombie in the process - takes a strong stomach to watch!
‘As Ye Sow’ is a play by Stewart Pringle and it starts rather harmless… concerning an elderly man in a care home whose boring routine is broken up only by regular visits from his daughter. They chat about this and about that and as to why he keeps the portrait of dead mum in the drawer instead on the bedside table. And so the time (and the play) passes, without much happening until the TV-set in his room gets switched on. Be warned: it’s the last 10 minutes of this play that will make you jolt, so unexpected is the twist and so sudden the shock! I’ve spotted at least six guests who screamed out loud, and I was one of them.
Perfect timing for an interval, and the audience thankfully steadied their nerves over a drink.
When the second part of the evening began, I’ve noted (with some amusement) that suddenly, couples sat huddled together and those guests who, during the first part, sat isolated and scattered in various rows were now sitting close to each other like sardines.
Third play ‘Hero’ is by T.S. Richards but was inspired by André de Lorde’s ‘Au Téléphone’. It starts out like a comedy but ends in terror when a kinky game goes very wrong indeed. Moral of the story? Keep your hands of Skype!
Final play of the night was ‘The Blind Woman’ by Stewart Pringle, inspired by Lucien Descaves’ ‘Atelier d’aveugles’. Here, the scenario is set inside a forgotten munitions factory as the blitz rages outside. Four female factory workers, three are creepy looking, one is utterly mad. Doesn’t sound like a happy ending is in store and no, there isn’t!
The cast of ten are superb and the sets and props add to the atmosphere. Of course, another big round of applause goes to the directors, producers and various talented crew-members, in particular make-up designers Xanthe Goode and Rachel Ryder as well as lighting technician Seb Blaber.
Revenge Of The Grand Guignol runs until November 27th at The Courtyard Theatre.
For more info or tickets, log on to www.thecourtyard.org.uk or www.londonhorrorfestival.com
