The Enfield Haunting – Theatre Royal, Brighton – Saturday 18th November 2023

(Rated 2.5/5) So, the draws for this one was myself and my partner actually directly knowing one of the investigators – Guy Lyon Playfair from the Society for Psychical Research -of the real-life case of poltergeist-related events experienced by an ordinary, working-class family – the Hodgsons – living in a council house in Enfield… and, for me, Catherine Tate 😉

Having read a few reviews – including one by another SPR member – I wasn’t expecting to be wowed, but I was also thinking – well, for drama, things will get exaggerated or added, so, yes, it’s going to be disappointing for anyone wanting to see ‘the truth’ of what happened or be educated about the case, but it could still be a ‘good’ piece of dramatic art. However, for me, it was even worse than lacking in truth! As a fan of drama, and having written plays myself, I know you need to up the ante, show and not tell the characters and experiences in all their glory, and create dynamics between them for them to bounce off each other so to speak. Writer Paul Unwin, who spent a good few hours with Guy, being told about the case, played the recordings and shown photographs of the 11-13 year ols daughter – Janet – being involved in many of paranormal occurrences, made some odd choices for his docudrama treatment of this story, which I really would not expect from an award-winning drama writer. There was a huge amount of exposition – often around Guy – who never appeared as a character himself in the play, and yet was painted as somewhat at odds with fellow investigator Maurice Grosse – who appeared in the form of David Threlfall – and the events that had already happened prior to this one night of investigation, which Paul had limited himself to in staging the play. There’s talk about mother Peggy (Catherine Tate)’s abusive husband – all tell and no show – why not bring him in? – well instead a neighbour was brought in as a kind of love-interest, in whom Peggy was not really interested. Maurice was presented as kind of ineffectual, with all sorts of challenges as to why he was there – to which he’d always respond to help the family, and lame chat about how everybody was tired – well so were the audience, shifting around uncomfortably in their seats as though there was more poltergeist-induced drama around them, than on stage. I even felt the actors seemed bored as the ‘plot’ roamed around aimlessly in a very lacklustre fashion. In fact, when the stage finally went dark for the final time, at least one audience member asked ‘Is that it, have they finished?’

Now, it could of course be argued that we saw an early performance, and the actors haven’t really got into the swing of things yet, but I fear they may never do so. The script doesn’t really seem to give enough ‘business’ or mettle for them to get engaged with that and/or each other. Nobody really had a story arc. I did joke before going, that I hope Catherine doesn’t come out with ‘Am I bovvered? Does this face look bovvered though?’ – to the poltergeist – but that might actually have woken us up. When ghostly effects happened, nobody seemed very scared, and there was no real interaction with them. A few good special effects, but too detached from the activity – or non-activity – on stage amongst the supposedly live human beings. The performances were ok, but again, as all good actors will tell you, they are nothing without a good script. One personal aspect of Maurice’s true life story was used – as a connection between him and the case – and to kind of increase the stakes for his character, but so much more could have been done with that to make it effective drama. If you are going to twist the facts to fiction, at least make it worth it. Ella Schrey-Yeats was very good as haunted Janet Hodgson. Everyone else ok with what they were given. I’m not sure what else to say. I’m glad I’ve seen it, as knowing those for whom it was part of their life work, I was curious to do so, but I can only say I’m kind of glad Maurice and Guy are no longer around to be disappointed or upset by it.

The Enfield Haunting – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2023