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24 October 2025
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4****
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At the start of ‘Haunted Shadows’ we are made fully aware that there was a lot more to writer, Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) than ‘The Railway Children’, ‘Five Children and It’ and ‘The Treasure Seekers’ – wonderful stories for children, of course, but there was another side to her too. A fascination with the strange, the supernatural and the plain weird featured in many of her published works and it is these that form the basis of a glorious evening spent in the company of the writer and her alter ego, Claire Louise Amias.
The dark and slightly claustrophobic surroundings of the Alma Tavern Theatre are ideal for these Gothic tales and the perfectly chosen furniture and dressings strike the perfect note in the creation of atmosphere. In a striking Victorian dress of black, the actor takes to the stage alone and regales the expectant audience with three stories over the course of the evening, linked by extracts from her memoir ‘My School Days’. The pieces are well chosen and the adaptions by Amias and Jonathan Rigby are carefully crafted to ensure maximum impact when delivered as a monologue. The programme fits together seamlessly and provides a hugely satisfying glimpse into the writer and her times.
While the stories are not likely to make you jump out of your chair (though at times it comes close), the subtlety of Nesbit is that she rather more gets into the brain, this is cerebral storytelling which makes you think and consider and then may create that delayed shiver down the spine – the description of a bed set away from a wall and a possible entity coming from behind you while you sleep was a perfect example. ‘The Shadow’ tells of a moving, inky, malignant mass which is totally unexplainable, but is certainly not good. In ‘The Pavilion’ there is death caused by a creeping plant – again, unexplainable, but which appears to be a forerunner of the story of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, though this isn’t played for laughs – that said, there is plenty of humour throughout but it is laced with the colour black. In the second half, perhaps the strongest story of the three, ‘A Strange Experience’ tells of a young woman taking the job as a companion to another who is described as being ‘deranged’. There are definite elements of ‘Psycho’ here and it is quite delicious.
Throughout this tour-de-force, Claire Louise Amias transfixes the audience; blessed with a wonderfully expressive face, she runs the gamut of emotions and her storytelling is fluid, lucid and completely engaging. Holding the attention of all for an hour and three quarters is no mean feat, but she accomplishes this with ease. Director, Jonathan Rigby has ensured a great pace to the stories – they go at quite a lick, which helps highlight the moments which need lingering over. There is just enough movement by the actor to ensure the stories do not become too static. It is very well judged.
The performance is enhanced by excellent lighting and sound which never distract from the narrative and do just the right amount of work without turning the whole into some kind of melodramatic spoof.
This is a production of class and elegance with a dark underbelly which is beautifully told and completely beguiling.
Cast
Edith Nesbit – Claire Louise Amias
Creatives
Writer – Edith Nesbit
Adaptation – Claire Louise Amias & Jonathan Rigby
Director – Jonathan Rigby
Sound Design – Keri Chesser
Lighting Design – Steve Lowe
Costume Design – Anna Sorensen Sargent
Technician – Mig Dulevicius
Photography -Diana Vucane & Jackie Summerfield
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