Tales from Haunted Liverpool

Venue: St George’s Hall Concert Room
Where: Liverpool All good things come to an end, and this last dip in a rich cauldron of stories is as evocative, haunting and mysterious as ever, plus the bonus of the performers in costume. As well as Eithne Browne, with her skilled repertoire of conveying emotion (and a piercing scream). Excellent performances also from Emma Vaudrey, and from stalwarts Roy Carruthers and Brian Dodd, the last having considerable ability adapting voice and personae.

Although startlingly loud to begin with and the lighting none too subtle, things settled down – or rather, livened up, enhanced by a cappella singing; a fascinating interpretation of ‘Scarlet Ribbons’ sent shivers down the spine.

Maybe a couple of tales seem to protest too much, stretched out by additional accounts as if an attempt to prove veracity, eg ‘Manilu’, which seems to have earned its place as the finale by dint of the vampire bandwagon. But in general, another top quality blend, from the high Gothic ‘Season of the Witch’ to the lowdown on what could be interpreted as modern urban myths; the legendary ‘Spring Heeled Jack’ could be, well… the forerunner of a parkour expert? ‘The Ghost of David Eccles’ relates events even more horrifically common nowadays, while the mysteries of ‘The Seven Whistlers’ is perhaps the scariest – although every time you log on, you’re likely to face the ghost in the machine, recalling ‘A Message from Mr Smith.’

And wherever you go in Liverpool, you’ll be wondering about its strange secrets; these evenings leave you wanting to know more. Book sales must be soaring, but if there were a film adaptation, it would take some doing to be as effective as these productions.

-Carole Baldock