"Ghost Stories"

Nottingham Playhouse.

The presentation features stories of a spectral nature read by Mark Gatiss and Adrian Scarborough, who stepped into the role at the last minute due to Jade Anouka not being able to make it. As the temperature outside the theatre dropped, so did the temperature inside the auditorium.

The four tales were all new to me and were all very different and while possibly could have been set in any era, they felt quite modern, creating a further eeriness.

The atmosphere was set as soon as you enter the auditorium with a stage set with ghostly pumpkins and atmospheric lighting with a lectern for the two orators to deliver their tales.

Ghost Stories is part of the Nottingham Playhouse Unlocked festival of live and live-streamed shows, and I am so glad that I was able to sit in the theatre to see this performance as I don't know if the atmosphere would be as good sat at home watching on a mobile device, TV or computer. It's one of those productions, I feel, is best experienced in person.

The Live Stream though is a current viable option for anyone missing theatre or maybe not feeling secure enough to venture out to an actual theatrical venue. And it is also helping to bring revenue back into the theatre; breathing life back into local arts.

The Playhouse staff, who are also getting used to this new way of working make sure that every precaution has been taken to make your visit as safe as possible with temperature checks as you enter, sanitiser bottles that automatically dispense so you do not even have to touch anything, socially distanced seating and bar orders delivered to your seat.

A wonderfully creepy start to your Halloween celebrations.