Horror puppet show Seaside Terror - described as Roald Dahl and League of Gentlemen mash-up - hits the stage

Leading puppet theatre company Odd Doll take a trip to the seaside, where they find more than they bargained for in Seaside Terror at York Theatre Royal Studio.
By Sue Wilkinson
Published 2nd Apr 2019, 15:56 BST
Updated 2nd Apr 2019, 16:59 BST
Seaside Terror - a horror puppet show - is on at York Theatre StudioSeaside Terror - a horror puppet show - is on at York Theatre Studio
Seaside Terror - a horror puppet show - is on at York Theatre Studio

Celebrating the British horror and British holidays of the 1970s, this new show brings together puppetry, mask and specially composed music to fill the stage with nerve-shattering shocks.

The idea for the show came when the team started researching vintage horror movies from the 1960s and 70s. They seemed to immediately chime with Odd Doll’s sinister but colourful aesthetic.

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They were particularly drawn to the anthology ‘portmanteau’ movies made by Amicus Films. Titles such as Dr Terror’s House of Horrors and Tales from the Crypt were camp, lurid and wilder than their better-known contemporaries like Dracula and Frankenstein. Following their format Seaside Terror features five different tales, linked by a rather sinister ice cream man.

As the 1970s wore on, the British film industry began to fade, eventually to be replaced by ‘video nasties’ and the Hollywood blockbusters of the 1980s. The company became interested in their nostalgia for the older era.

The show really came alive when this was paired with another great British tradition – the seaside holiday. The backdrop of coastal towns that have seen better days make for an evocative setting for these spine-tingling adventure.

To make the show, the company decided to collaborate with an undead army of theatre-making horror fans. The script is written by Adam Robinson, who is currently on tour with his gothic-tinged set of ghost stories Shivers. An original score is provided by composer Paul Mosley, who has released seven original albums and has recently specialised in collaborating with puppet companies including Old Saw and Barely Human.

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Artistic director Kathleen Yore said: “We’re so excited to get out new show in front of audiences. We’re going to take people into a world of Evil Seagulls, Zombie Donkeys and Bingo Hairballs. The show has a lot of scares, a lot of laughs and some wonderfully wicked acts.

“It has been described often as a Roald Dahl and League of Gentlemen mash-up. Creating unforgettable memories for anyone who’s ever spent a rainy day on a British beach.”

It is on at York Theatre Royal Studio on Saturday April 20 at 7.45pm.

Tickets: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk