Mate Ian Foster has reviewed the West End transfer of The Exorcist via a series of gifs. Visit his website for the full effect!
After a premiere in Birmingham last year, Sean Mathias‘ production of The Exorcist has resurfaced in the West End, coinciding with Halloween this week, in the hope of recreating the chills and thrills of the 1973 movie, despite the fact that it is notoriously difficult to get horror right in the theatre.
We saw a preview and there may have been wine involved, hence the gif mood-board rather than your fully-fleshed review. So, in short,…
- See Jenny Seagrove in a collection of saucily modern outfits
- Appreciate Adam Garcia‘s Father Damien in his boxing scenes
- Wonder whether a pre-recorded Ian McKellen is really the best fit for the demon
- Marvel at how Ben Hart‘s illusions recreate many of the iconic moments from the film…
- But wonder too at how the biggest effect is achieved right at the start with barely any effort at all
- And for the love of God, don’t buy tickets at the front and on the sides!
- Don’t take your kids – there’s a (perhaps overly cautious) 18+ age guidance note
- And do as we did and take advantage of the late-night show (9pm start) on a Friday, which allows enough time to get sufficiently warmed up…
- …and you might well have a screamer of a time
In all honesty, it really ain’t that scary, something so ingrained in the cultural memory could scarcely hope to continue to shock. But in its best moments, The Exorcist is high camp and thus gloriously, enjoyably silly. Plus it will most likely make you jump one way or another.
