Ghost stories have entertained generations for many a century. They not only remind us of how short life is, but fill us with terror as tales of poltergeists, ladies in grey and more come back to fulfil unfinished business with those who wronged them. Every Ghost Story Ever is a comedically spooky show that aims to celebrate these tales and delight us with fun facts, comedic insights and spooky glitches that add atmosphere and intrigue to the proceedings.
Under the watch of enigmatic host Billy Bones (Billy Morton), we were terrified and entertained in equal measure as each story was revealed. Bones set the scene using a simple armchair, an antique radio on a side table, and a small television, whilst being dressed in a way that, combined with his rich and powerful voice, gave us the impression that Vincent Price himself had returned. He commanded the stage with a charisma that had an enigmatic feel to it. It drew us in as he expertly combined traditional storytelling with flippant comedic insights about the origins of these various tales, alongside the omniscient presence of his ex-wife, thrown in for good measure.
Using the art of audience interaction and a small notebook to keep track of proceedings, Bones created a world that kept us on the edge of our seats as he introduced us to an ideal mixture of real-life events and fictional writers that really kick-started the love of ghost stories. I was delighted he also referred to the dispute between Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini as to whether the afterlife was real or not. Whilst both men had their respective outspoken views, Bones embodied them both by using the story of two sisters who claimed they could see fairies by showing the famous images on his television and left us to decide for ourselves whether it was genuine or not.
From the way he spoke about each character and tale, it was clear he loved this particular ghostly topic. It was so full of detailed research and passion that at the end, we were all left wanting much more. When it came to audience interactions, Bones made the experience for those who were not normally used to this aspect of shows a pleasant one through his positively nuanced way of putting everyone at ease, enabling those chosen to throw themselves into the experience. Especially during a tale that involved a writer who saw an old man in chains out the corner of his eye. After being led into the garden, the old man disappeared… for this tale to come to life, selected audience members made the story come to life by taking on the characteristics through Bones’ artful guidance of who they were and where they needed to be. It added another layer to the show that made us feel like we were part of something exciting.
Every Ghost Story Ever is an extremely well-constructed show that combines literature, history, comedy and ghosts in a way that is exciting and dynamic. Make sure you catch this show as it continues its journey around the UK. Billy loves local stories in particular, so if you have stories in your part of the world that need to be told, Bones will do them. Each show is different, so you can experience it time and time again.
Reviewed by Sascha Cooper
Join connoisseur of the creepy Billy Bones for a whistle-stop tour of every ghost story ever told, or your money back!*
*no refunds.
Experience ghost stories from throughout the ages: from the first ghost story ever written; to the true tale of Arthur Conan Doyle speaking from beyond the grave; to terrifying accounts of the hauntings of Chanctonbury Ring; and much more.
Why do we tell ghost stories? What makes us truly afraid? Is this show supposed to be serious or funny? All these questions will be answered in: EVERY GHOST STORY EVER.
This is a one-man comedy show from writer-performer Billy Morton.
This is a Four Presidents Production. fourpresidents.co.uk @fourpresidentspresents