Paranormal Activity
This show will re-open for a second season at this theatre from 8th August 2026.
You cannot escape the past, particularly a haunted one. James and Lou find this out, moving from Chicago to London.
Based on the film series.
(seen at the afternoon performance on 15th January 2026)
A disgusting but hilarious double-entendre in the theatre’s programme (too filthy to repeat here), combined with a raucous crowd out for a chillingly good time lends any show a certain raffishness before it even begins.
It begins with a lot of audience members yelping in the blackout, and a mysterious voice telling us to breathe (Gareth Fry’s sound design is a little muffled in the front stalls for some reason).
Fly Davis delivers a trademark two-tier middle-class British house set. Through lounge and kitchen downstairs, bathroom, hallway and bedroom upstairs. How and why a recently migrated from the USA couple acquired DVDs so quickly in England isn’t explained, but they fill a shelf.
Magic consultant Chris Fisher of course has the set rigged for one astonishingly good moment and a few hundred cliched ones. It isn’t explained, though, how lamps turned off by an actor are the only ones to come back on, when a fuse is fixed early in the play – a foreteller of spooks to come, or just a lapse from director Felix Barrett?
In fact, before we go further, there is a real and serious lapse that needs fixing. When smelling gas from the stove, James (Patrick Heusinger) switches on the cooker hood extractor fan. NEVER, EVER DO THIS. Any electrical switch may cause a spark and instant ignition of escaped gas. Open all doors and windows manually, smash glass if you have to, but don’t touch a switch until the air smells clean again.
Back to the action, and you can tell by the monkey pre-amble that there isn’t much to say. The play itself mostly achieves what it sets out to do. For those who don’t attend the theatre much, or have a deep sense of credulity, the shocking surprises arrive quickly enough to chill over.
For those who see a lot of theatre and are familiar with the “supernatural” genre, well, you know where it is all going and – that one illusion aside – there’s nothing to whiffle you.
Once you realise what Levi Holloway likes to do, the trust in character integrity is sadly gone, and with it, the element of surprise, alas.
Still, it is well played. When not attempting self-immolation, Patrick Heusinger’s James and new wife Lou (Melissa James) motor towards creating a relationship, in an overlong first act.
Once in sync, they are watchable, as is Jackie Morrison as Etheline Cotgrave, a psychic investigator. Her short scene is more an audition to play Madame Arcati in “Blithe Spirit” (she would pass) as it is both brief and a little pointless, closing the act on what we already know.
Pippa Winslow as James’s mother Carolanne works well on TV and in reality, and is given more to do than Cotgrave. From the front row you can hear the “pop” (no more to say) and she is nicely chilling.
Staged with commendable care, this lacks real connection with the monkey. There’s a chill about the characters which prevents it, perhaps deliberately.
Intentional or not, this is honestly not nearly as clever or original as “2:22 A Ghost Story,” but still a diverting bit of fun.
The monkey advises checking performance times on your tickets and that performances are happening as scheduled, before travelling.
| Run Time: | 2 hours 20 minutes, including one interval |
| Monday: | 8pm |
| Tuesday: | 8pm |
| Wednesday: | 8pm |
| Thursday: | 2.30pm, 8pm |
| Friday: | 8pm |
| Saturday: | 2.30pm, 8pm |
| Sunday: | X |
Notes:
From 8th August 2026 onwards:
Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm
Friday and Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Venue Box Office & Current Prices
0333 009 6690Venue box office details and show price charts are available on the Ambassadors Theatre page.
Ticketpipe
Paranormal ActivityLoveTheatre.com
Lovetheatre.com. Charge around 10% booking fee per ticket. They are owned by Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and often have good deals on shows at ATG venues.
See Tickets
See Tickets. Charge around 10% booking fee per ticket, plus £2.75 per booking (not per ticket) postal charge. They are owned by ticketing group Eventim.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster.co.uk. Charge around 8% to 10% booking fee per ticket. Handling fees may also be added. This is the largest ticketing agency worldwide.
TodayTix
TodayTix. Charge between 10% and 20% booking fee per ticket. Discounts are often available as this is a large global ticketing company with this specific aim.
London Theatre Direct
Londontheatredirect.com. Charge between 10% and 25% booking fee per ticket. Discounts are frequently available. Part of Trafalgar Theatre Group, known for customer service and unique offers.
Availability: Box office discretion
Price: £30
Notes: Enter online App TodayTix offer £30 “Rush tickets” for all performances. Released for the performance on that day, first-come, first-served at 10am. Download the App from Todaytix, unlock the “Rush Ticketing” feature by sharing on Facebook or Twitter, and that will allow you to buy tickets.
Address: West Street, London, WC2H 9ND
Box Office: 0333 009 6690
More details: Seats to buy or avoid at this venue plus travel information and other details can be found on the Ambassadors Theatre page
