It's almost Halloween which means London, despite the unseasonably pleasant weather today, is draping itself in black and preparing to scare itself stupid or at least do stuff that pretends to be scary but isn't at all and is just a thinly disguised excuse to get done up in drag . There are Halloween films, Halloween parties, Halloween clubnights, Halloween walks and, of course, lots of Halloween sweets. But what about Halloween theatre? (The Woman in Black and her sister, The Woman in White don't count.) Theatre has always been a ghost-friendly genre of entertainment, with well-known and well-loved spooks populating both stage and backstage.
One show making the most of the seasonal spookiness is Terror 2005! from the theatre company The Sticking Place. Running until November 5th at the Union Theatre in Southwark, Terror 2005! is an evening of performances drawn from works such as The Red Room by HG Wells, The Premature Burial by Edgar Allan Poe alongside new writing and some improvised work. The programme changes nightly so expect to be surprised - and if you're up for it, there will be a Halloween special on Monday 31st: magic and poetry is promised along with special appearances and performances in the programme.
For further morbid theatrical treats, book now for the London dates of the People Show 114: The Obituary Show. Coming to the Riverside Studios for Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th November only. This is a second outing for the People Show who have been leading experimental theatre in the UK for over 40 years. The Obituary Show first opened at the Bush Theatre and is coming back to London to once more pose the questions:
What's your life worth? Two lines? Half a page?
The whole shebang? Nothing?
They've already decided.
And there's nothing you can do about it. Or is there?
Terror 2005! is at the Union Theatre, Southwark until 5th November, and will be hosting a Halloween special on 31st October. For more information and to book go here. The People Show 114: The Obituary Show is at the Riverside Studios on 12th and 13th November. For more information go here and to book go here.
