It seems that there is a vogue for Summer ghost stories at the moment. Next month will see the return to the Midlands of Ghost Stories, showing at the Wolverhampton Grand, but before that, the Birmingham Rep is giving us all kinds of chills with a Scottish set ghost story. The Croft is an isolated Scottish hideaway in the Highlands and the brilliant cast who stay there largely play duel roles in this production. It is an unsettlingly, dark and  absorbing treat, with an ending that leaves you with a serious feeling of unease.

The story is set over three different time frames. In the present, Laura brings her new love Suze to the isolated Croft where she once lived with her mother and father. The new relationship is fraught as Suze feels a sense of guilt related to her teenage sons. The action flashes back to Laura’s mother Ruth and her lover David and their time in the croft, when Laura was dying from cancer. But of a far more eerie nature are the flashbacks to the time of the Highland clearances, and the life of the then inhabitants of the Croft, Enid and Eileen, and their illicit, scandalous relationship that resulted in a murder. It is clear that the previous tennants of the Croft are still there, and that the ghosts have a bearing on current events. The sense of darkness and danger are never far away in this atmospheric play by Ali Milles.

The cast, consisting of Gracie Follows, Caroline Harker,Russell Layton and Gray O Brien are uniformly excellent, it is a clear testament to their skills that their dual roles are so clearly defined. Liza Goddard is genuinely terrifying as Enid, you sense that her stubbornness also has an element of madness, and this is rewarded as she flies into jealous rage at the denouement of her story.

This is a play that builds the tension nicely, a particularly memorable scene is when Suze reads Laura her mom’s hidden letter, and all hell breaks loose in the Croft. This is a standout moment that is satisfying and chilling.

The Croft is perfect entertainment for those who love stories that have a distinctive dark side.

The Croft

Wed 11 Jun–Sat 14 Jun 2025

Birmingham-Rep.co.uk

Sharing is caring!