THIS IS a rather hard review to write, because the authors of this show has asked me not to reveal its twists and turns so future audiences can enjoy them.

So here goes: if you like being scared out of your seat, aren’t bothered by a bit of gore and find creepy music, lighting and special effects add to the mood of a production, this is right up your street.

If you aren’t stay away - or, like the elderly couple in the stalls on Tuesday night, leave - despite the dire warnings at the start that anyone quitting this one-act, hour-and-a-half performance would not be re-admitted.

It was hard to say at times if some of the audience reactions, this included, were the product of ‘plants’ - or maybe I just have an overly-suspicious nature.

Those who greeted certain lines with gales of laughter did not seem to be getting the point - I’ll admit a few nervous giggles escaped me, but there were people there who seemed to think they were watching a comedy, not a supernatural thriller with, like all its genre, a rather sad set of stories to tell.

There’s been no shortage of ghoulie and ghostie tales on TV over Christmas so when I invited my husband to accompany me to this he said no thanks, he’d had enough of sad endings.

Certainly one of the stories told here really touched my heart, as a joyous, if slightly obnoxious, expectant father’s world turns upside down.

What really makes this evening is the music, lighting and special effects, brilliantly imagined by designer Jon Bausor and associate designer Rebecca Brower and brought to reality by lighting designer James Farncombe, sound designer Nick Manning and special effect whiz Scott Perry. Full credit to the Theatre Royal’s sound, light and effects team, who brought their dreams to the stage.

ALISON PHILLIPS