The House On Cold Hill – Seriously Chilling
The House on Cold Hill, currently showing at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, is that rarest of beasts, a genuinely chilling ghost story that retains the creepy factor when transferred to the stage. Based on a best selling novel by Peter James, the play has a pitch perfect cast and wracks up the fear and tension in each scene. It is satisfyingly eerie and I would highly recommend it as a superb night at the theatre.
It starts with a scene that sets the tension for the rest of the play. We hear a car on a journey to a new house, described as looking like a castle by a little girl. We see dad enter the house, lights refuse to work and there are noises which suggest the house is already occupied. Dad goes to investigate, but sees something which terrifies him enough that he runs from the house, we then hear the sound of falling masonry. We then move forward to the present day, where website designer Ollie is moving his family, solicitor wife Caro and teenage daughter Jade to the same house, which we find is Cold Hill. He has taken on a nervous computer geek and local Chris as his assistant, and Chris is busy setting up all his household electronics, including Ollie’s early 40th birthday gift of an Alexa. The family have spent most of their money on the move, and despite Jade’s reservations, they look forward to their life in their new home. But a series of disturbances in the house, including Jade’s friend seeing an grey lady behind her during a Whatsapp call, and lots of strange occurrences with the Alexa, which seems to be both taunting and haunting them, lead them to believe their house might be haunted. With the help of Chris, who has an interest in the paranormal, and his friend Annie, who talks to dead people, they set about releasing the spirit their home houses. But does the spirit really want to be released?
The cast are all just perfect in their roles, from Joe McFadden as the carefree, competitive and totally likeable Ollie to Rita Simons as his practical, responsible wife, a role so different from her Eastenders character. Another former Eastenders alummni, Charlie Clements, is my pick of the cast, as the awkward, nervy Chris he is just excellent, and well matched by Tricia Deighton as Annie, a turn that offers some comic relief. Persophone Swales-Dawson is also very good, as the typical teenager Jade, who becomes more introverted and frightened as the events in the house progress.
The beauty of this story is the way modern technology, in the form of the Alexa, is used so cleverly in the story. The set too is ingenious, really suggesting a building that may once have been a chapel, but is now a family home. And, even though this is a real chiller, there are moments that are funny, even though the ending is one of the most shocking I have seen on stage or screen.
A quality adaptation that will have you leaving the theatre feeling seriously spooked, The House on Cold Hill is deeply satisfying.
Go See.
The House on Cold Hill
The Alexandra, Birmingham
Mon 6 – Sat 11 May 2019
Click here for ticket info
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16 Comments
what corinne did
I had never heard of this show before. I’d be very curious to see it!
Amber Myers
This does sound creepy, but entertaining! I know I would enjoy seeing this.
Tara Pittman
This reminds me of movies that my mom loved to watch at the movies. It might be a bit too scary for me.
GiGi Eats
Oh man, I am so not a creepy movie kind of person. I totally cover my eyes like a little baby! This movie kind of reminds me of house on haunted hill!
Dalene Ekirapa
Always loving ghost stories over here…spooky can be scary and fun! I love the fact that Alexa is also used in the story! Doesn’t that just sound more fun…would love to watch it.
Nicole Anderson
I had never heard of this before. This is one of my favorite kind of show or movie. It sounds really interesting, I’ll most likely end up watching it.
Krysten Quiles
This sounds SO cool! I love all things ghost and creepy and all that jazz! I would love to be able to check this out!
Sarah Bailey
I have to admit I’ve not heard of this before but it sounds like a play I would really enjoy. I do love a chilling tale.
Anagha
Ahh hun..I like to watch such scary kind movies. I rather enjoy it with my family or friends. I will have to check this out at weekend.
brie
Hm, it seems like a really good thriller story. I might have to check it out, thanks for recommending!
Alexandra Cook
I love as good thriller. This is something I really would love to check out with some popcorn!
Ola @ WanderWithOla
This sounds like a creepy movie which I’m not a really big fan of. However, I am actually curious on how they used Alexa in the story, because that sounds interesting. Thanks for the review! ~ Ola @ WanderWithOla
Heidi
That sounds so creepy! And Alexa acting like a ghost. That’s just plain scary! That would be fun to see.
Farrah Less
This very intriguing to me as I am big fun of horror and suspense stories. My kind of book I would want to read while I am traveling .
Blairvillanueva
Your review is really good that makes me feel interested to watch this show. Hope it will be available to my country.
Binge on Basics
I am absolutely terrified of scary movies and I don’t know but I could never watch anything scary. It just stresses me out more. Though the story is intriguing and I would like it to watch, I am not sure how to gather the courage to watch it.