THE WITCHING HOUR to thrill and terrify audiences at Bridewell Theatre this summer

Coming to Bridewell Theatre from 15-20 July, just a stone’s throw away from the last ever witch trials in the UK, is the critically acclaimed The Witching Hour.

Following sell-out horror plays, James Williams brings his most terrifying production yet to London for the first time, after a hit tour around the UK, with the full original cast, including Mark Kitto (Ghosts, BBC).

Blood will have blood on the Witches’ Sabbath – and Torhill Wood is a place of unspeakable horrors. Erin and Sam soon realise their trip to these eerie woods will not pass without their fair share of witchcraft – and murder. Their trip will become a haunting fight for survival in this gasp-out-loud ghost story.

Saturated with tension and accompanied by entirely original compositions, The Witching Hour brings the past to the present, clearly depicting the modern themes prevalent in today’s society, set against the chilling backdrop of old England’s witch trials. Amongst the scares and tension, the performance shines a light on feminism, disbelieved and forgotten women, torture, familial abuse, sexual assault, and bias against certain groups within the justice system.

James Williams said: “The play creates a world of eerie forests, dark tunnels and nail-biting jumps. Our intention with The Witching Hour is to bring a horror movie experience to the stage. Parallel timelines and blurred boundaries between ‘the stage’ and ‘the auditorium’ keep audiences looking over their shoulder throughout. The cinematic score and technical elements invite audience members into the world of Torhill Wood - a place where they soon learn that anything can happen. Whilst on a research trip, psychologist Erin Bailey uncovers the harrowing plight of Elspeth Langford, a young woman from the 1600s. Central to Elspeth’s story is the moment where she is tried and killed for being a witch, making The Bridewell’s location, a few moments from The Old Bailey, the perfect theatre for the play’s London premiere. Horror fans will recognise the tropes - the isolated house in the woods, the hidden secrets and the irrepressible appetite for ghostly tales and jump scares. We have been so fortunate to welcome many first-time theatregoers at tour venues around throughout country and I hope we can welcome many more for the strictly limited London run this July.”

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