Paranormal Activity ★★★ Ambassadors Theatre | Until April 25, 2026


The Paranormal franchise has a proven following, and horror fans are likely to enjoy this new stage incarnation. When James and Lou relocate from Chicago to London in search of a fresh start, it soon becomes clear that leaving their problems behind will not be so easy. He has a new job and she can work remotely, yet, as the programme hints, hauntings are not always tied to places. Sometimes they attach themselves to people. James must contend with his prying, Bible-quoting mother via a laptop screen, while Lou quickly realises that her grandchild- obsessed mother-in-law is the least of her concerns. Darkness, sudden loud noises and the occasional effective illusion are used to draw the audience into their increasingly unstable world. While this production recalls the successful 2:22 A Ghost Story and the long running The Woman in Black, it lacks the technical ingenuity of a show like Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Fly Davis’s set is a meticulously detailed two storey house, but its scale overwhelms the stage and results in awkward sightlines for some audience members. Patrick Heusinger and Melissa James convincingly chart James and Lou’s slide from everyday normality into supernatural terror, though they are constrained by a rather thin script. While there are moments of tension, the plot is largely predictable and character development remains limited. Extended pauses intended to build suspense feel more like dead air, and the twists may shock but they don't deliver much genuine surprise. Nevertheless, Paranormal Activity is a solid entry in its genre that should satisfy devoted fans of the franchise and committed horror enthusiasts.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Johan Persson

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: West St, London WC2H 9ND, UK

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