Audiences Are Screaming at Paranormal Activity!
Brave enough for the movie? With the stage show, there’s nowhere to hide!
The terrifying pop culture phenomenon Paranormal Activity is leaving the screen behind and haunting stages worldwide, with West End, Broadway and UK tour runs.
Based on the 2007 horror phenomenon that grossed $194 million worldwide from a budget of just $15,000, the stage adaptation follows James and Lou, a newlywed couple who move into a new home and soon discover that they're not alone. He's a sceptic, she's a believer, but as strange things begin happening around them, it becomes increasingly difficult to explain away what they're seeing...here's why you need to see it. BOO!
Try And Look Away, We Dare You...
Rather than relying on camera cuts and editing to control where audiences look, the creative team has built an entire two-storey house on stage. That means audiences can see into the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom, with lighting, sound, visual effects and illusion working together to create the scares - you'll be scanning the stage for something moving in the shadows.
Illusion designer Chris Fisher, known for his work on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was involved from the early stages of development, working alongside writer Levi Holloway and director Felix Barrett. Rather than writing a scene and figuring out the effects afterwards, Fisher encouraged the team to think big from the beginning.
The Audience Really Are Screaming
One of the most unexpected things about Paranormal Activity is just how vocal its audiences have become. It is said that during performances, audiences have been gasping, shouting and even warning the characters about what's coming.
Director Felix Barrett says audiences have been treating the show more like a horror movie than a traditional theatre performance, shouting things like "Don't go up the stairs!" when they know something terrifying is about to happen.
Even Jason Blum Was Scared!
If you need convincing that the production actually delivers the frights, there's a pretty impressive endorsement behind it. Jason Blum, producer of the original Paranormal Activity film, initially had low expectations. Having seen numerous attempts to make live theatre frightening, he was sceptical about whether the stage could recreate the experience of horror cinema.
But after watching a performance in Los Angeles, Blum changed his mind.
He described the experience as a genuinely satisfying and scary one and subsequently became more involved with the stage production as a producer.
So, are you brave enough, like Blum, to see Paranormal Activity live on stage?
