The Addams Family meets the Mighty Boosh in this unnerving but often confusing exploration into the interior of a haunted house. 

Mime artist and temporary tour guide David Hoskin escorts you through what could only be described as a traditional depiction of a horror-filled home. Zombies run free, memories are placed in jars and wigs are possessed by dead relatives. Every character is a threat posing as a friend, acted with an intensity so jarring their actions appear supernatural. It’s scare culture as we know it, but is it a good watch? 

The main problem with the production is its lack of clarity. Scenes mesh, characters change yet none of this is ever truly portrayed, instead the viewer is expected to have insight or sit wondering about what is truly happening, or if in fact they’re actually enjoying it. 

This is not to say that Hoskin isn’t talented, in fact he is incredibly so. The show itself is brought to life when he is simply miming an action (which is often). Tasks as mundane as shovelling soil or eating become something extraordinary, mesmerising even. It was this skill which kept me tentatively curious about the unfolding events. 

Upon reflection, I am still unsure what A Haunted House is truly about. An exploration of grief? A fear of time slipping away from you? The slow decay of memories? 

Perhaps it is a messy, but well executed combination of all of these things. Maybe I am simply not the target audience for an eerie, eccentric one-man show. This feels like marmite, I can only suggest people find out for themselves whether they love it or not. 

Review written by Jessica King