The top five scariest theatre moments
To mark Halloween this year, we asked you to tell us when you've been most scared at the theatre. Below are the five shows with the most votes, but honourable mentions should go to the 1962 production of Lionel Bart's Blitz which still haunts one reader over half a century later, the climax of Ira Levin's Deathtrap, and… Edinburgh Festival, which received several miscellaneous votes – seeing 10 shows in a day can get quite scary.
5. Carrie the Musical
Both the original RSC production and the recent revival at Southwark Playhouse have curdled the blood of many readers over the years. The original probably more so for being such a flop, but the most recent production contained some brilliantly spooky special effects and more gore than a Lucy Bailey Titus.
4. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
As we're committed to #keepthesecrets it's hard to tell you why the eighth story in JK Rowling's novels has been voted so highly in our poll. But fans of the books will not be surprised to know that it has something to do with He Who Must Not Be Named…
3. Punchdrunk
© Julian Abrams
From the superbly chilling Faustus to the sprawling Drowned Man and the more recent Kabeiroi, Punchdrunk's productions have ranked highly in your frightening theatre forays. Whether it was the masked members of the public or the unknown around each corner, the immersive nature of their projects have sent your imaginations running wild.
2. The Woman in Black
© Mark Douet
The big screen version starring Daniel Radcliffe may not be a Halloween staple, but the stage adaptation of Susan Hill's 1983 novel still has audiences jumping out of their seats 30 years after it premiered in Scarborough.
1. Ghost Stories
What do you get if you cross The League Of Gentlemen's Jeremy Dyson with actor and magician Andy Nyman? Apparently the scariest night at the theatre. The show – which revolved around the stories of three people who'd had supernatural experiences – displayed video monitors outside the theatre showing the reactions of petrified audience members and warned against anyone under 15 watching.
