The Arcola Theatre, London
This polished production of Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s adaptation presents Henry James’s canonical ghost story with contemporary jump scares. More audaciously, the writer-adapter introduces a new framing device that reveals its purpose in a final, added twist.
The jump scares are effective, with Hattie North’s jagged sound design delivering its shocks, and the production remains slick and stylised throughout. However, not every element succeeds.
Is it really a ‘slick’ adaptation or just flashy? I missed the psychological dread that made the book so terrifying in the first place.
Hattie North’s sound design is incredible. Those sudden noises had the whole audience jumping out of their seats.
Honestly, I found the framing device a bit unnecessary. Why fix what wasn’t broken in Henry James’s original subtle narrative?
I loved the modern twist on this classic! The jump scares actually heightened the tension rather than ruining it.