THERE are ghostly goings on in Windsor.
The Royal Theatre is experiencing bumps in the night and spectral visitations.
Darker Shores, its current production, is the reason.
The play, about the strange haunting of a seaside residence, is a Victorian horror story to enjoy during the lengthening nights.
With a quietly menacing soundscape, and a nicely gothic set, it follows the efforts of Professor Gabriel Stokes and American medium, Dr Tom Beauregard.
Their mission is to discover the source of ghostly noises that trouble the guest room of Mrs Hinchcliffe’s house.
She’d like to open the house as a hotel, but this seems unlikely until she can solve the problem of her badly behaved spectral resident.
This uncooperative guest is throwing their weight, and half the contents of the room about.
The tale, written for stage by Michael Punter, and set in 1875, delighted its audience the night it was reviewed.
Gasps from the audience indicated that goose bumps were being kept active by the special effects, shocks and illusions aplenty,
And the theatre enjoyed a nearly full house, which just goes to show that people love a ghost story.
The story is handled well by a competent and experienced company:
Maxwell Caulfield plays hesitant, perplexed and grief ridden Professor Gabriel Stokes with suitable gentlemanly confusion.
Juliet Mills gives a fine performance as the slightly stiff, Northern landlady, Mrs Hinchcliffe.
Michael Praed is solid as American medium, Tom Beauregard, who finds that he is taking on more of a spectral challenge than he bargained for.
And Chipo Kureya plays charmingly, maid Florence Kennedy, with a talent for second sight.
The play certainly thrilled, and as they left, audience members could be heard saying how much they had enjoyed the evening.
Darker Shores plays at the Theatre Royal Windsor, and can be enjoyed for one week more until Saturday, October 22, when it goes out on tour.
Performances are at 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, with matinées on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm.
The Thursday matinée is audio described.
Tickets cost from £23.50 to £28.50 depending on seat location.
For tickets and information log on to: www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or call the box office on: 01753 853888
