Review: SHOCK HORROR at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley

 




Tickets: Paid for

Date: 27th September 2023

Seat: C27

Rating: 4 Stars

There are two things I love most when it comes to my viewing options – theatre and horror films. So when those two things are combined, I’m excited. When they’re combined well, like they are in Shock Horror, I’m ecstatic. And terrified. And those are good things to be in my book. 

Shock Horror tells the disjointed and upsetting story of Herbert, who grew up in an old cinema called the Metropol, where something unspeakable happened. He lived there with his mother, Norma, father, Jack, and something else too: the Darkness. Herbert has returned to the cinema, possibly the one place he felt safe in his life (although ‘safe’ is certainly a relative term in this case), one last time before it’s demolished. He doesn’t exactly want to be there, but someone’s got to keep the ghosts in the walls and the Darkness in check. 

Written and directed by Ryan Simons, Shock Horror is a cleverly realised story that takes place partly in the present (using live-action) and partly in the past (using pre-recorded film that Herbert interacts with). It’s this multimedia element that really takes Shock Horror to the next level of terror, although the pacy run-time and slick direction certainly help – there’s not a moment to catch your breath, and when you do, it’s likely to come out again in the form of a gasp, a nervous laugh, or maybe even a scream. 

Alex Moran as Herbert is an excellent storyteller, and he holds the audience’s attention, not letting them look into the darkness (or the Darkness) behind him unless he wants them to – it’s all about misdirection and sleight of hand here, and the lighting (Joe Price) and sound design (Beth Duke), along with the most spine-tingling music (Ben Parsons) are what make the magic happen. Not to mention the gorgeously degraded set by Ethan Cheek. 

Along with Moran, there’s Joseph Carter as Jack, Chloe Proctor as Norma, and Chris Blackwood as Father Karras, each one giving a stellar and spooky performance that add to the mystery of what happened all those years before – there are clues scattered throughout, but it’s wise not to go hunting for them on your own in the dark; you never know what you might find. Or who. 

You might have noticed a familiar character name or two here, and that’s the other delight that Shock Horror has in store. You don’t have to be a horror film lover like I am to enjoy this taut and tight show, but it certainly helps. Knowing that Herbert was likely named after Herbert West, the protagonist of Reanimator, or that Father Karras is from The Exorcist, or that the balloon that scared me out of my wits when it popped up is a nod to It, or that the puppet is from Magic, or the POV section is from Halloween, or that when Herbert declares, “Sometimes dead is better,” that he’s going all Pet Sematary on us... Sorry. I’m letting my horror geek show. But still, it’s a fun touch that kept me thinking – along with everything else – from beginning to end. 

Shock Horror is a treat for fans of horror and theatre alike. With superb acting, a story that keeps you guessing, and plenty of scares around every corner (and in every wall), this is something that will stay with you. Let’s just hope that’s the only thing that does. 

Shock Horror is on tour, and you can get tickets here: https://www.thunderroadtheatre.org/shockhorror

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