Review: THE HUNTERS OF GHOST HALL, The Chapel Playhouse

A crew from a low-budget television show and two treasure hunters seeking shelter from the storm find themselves in the same spooky mansion at night. Unaware of each other, they try to figure out if they're actually the only ones in there.

After a successful run at Brighton Fringe, The Hunters of Ghost Hall return with a refurbished production for Camden Fringe. Popular tropes are twisted and moulded into a hilarious hour-long play by Tristan Wolfe, the writer and director. James Bennison leads as the perhaps-fake-perhaps-not scaredy psychic with Kitty Hope Marshall as the much more straight to the point camerawoman AJ.

Plenty of one-liners and gags haunt the piece but the real humour comes from the mock seriousness that pervades the play. Played in the dark with torches lighting up the scene for much of the first part, it's silly and amusing entertainment that does what's supposed to do.

The piece is constructed well, even though perhaps more attention could be given to the ending as it feels slightly rushed as compared to the rest. As a whole, it's breezily directed by Wolfe on a traverse stage, with the actors quite literally disappearing in the dark and setting an eerie peripherical tone within the banters.

From the bickering between duos to Bennison's slurred Latin, it's a funny, frivolous, buoyant comedy filled with ghoulish antics and wacky characters.

The Hunters of Ghost Hall has terminated its run at Camden Fringe but it's on at Arundel Jailhouse from 18 to 22 August.