– Hannah Gilbey contributed with this report
How far would you go to fight your own conscience?
Haunted delves into the mind of a double murderer in denial using comedy, thrills and the supernatural. The play has just finished the Lincoln leg of its tour after being shown on the February 28th and 29th at the Theatre Royal.
Paul (Peter Amory) has just moved into his love nest with childhood sweetheart Melanie (Nicola Weeks). He has been found “not guilty” of murder twice, and is ready to start a new life. Only, he has to leave behind furious ex-wife Susan (Joanne Heywood) and secrets so dark he won’t even admit them to himself.
The phrase ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ certainly fits the bill here. Ex-wife Susan is fiery and provocative. Her character starts off by using lust as a weapon for bittersweet revenge, and it is interesting to watch the changing relationship between them.
Paul remains in denial, as he frantically tries to block out the past and carry on with his life. When his cousin appears (literally) out of nowhere to help, Paul is taken on a journey into the very depths of his own mind. Can you ever make a killer confess?
For Peter, playing the lead in Haunted is a world away from Emmerdale: “It’s miles apart. He had his problems, did Chris Tate in Emmerdale, but he’s not a psychotic nightmare like this guy is. Paul is a psychiatric case really!”
Whilst the play is surprisingly racy at times, being strictly for over 14’s, there was still a sense of humour. One-liners and snide comments got quite a few chuckles from the audience. The optical illusions also scattered throughout certainly made the show a little bit different.
As the play continued, it becomes darker and grittier. Haunted forces you to unravel each character, as Paul’s mind is twisted and manipulated by the ghosts of his ex-wife and cousin.
Peter explains: “The thing about doing something that’s brand new, is that you don’t know whether you’re doing it right or wrong. The writer of Haunted, Ron Aldridge, came to watch on the first night. He loved it, so I guess we got it right! It’s quite a difficult piece. It’s not normal theatre but it’s great fun to do!”
And for anyone who is unsure about seeing something a bit different from the stalls: “Theatre is for everyone. Go and see it, you’ll enjoy it. Go with an open mind!” he said.
Haunted, from Ian Dickens Productions, is continuing its theatre tour until the 19th of May. More information on where to catch it next as well as ticket prices can be found at on his official website.