Things that go bump in the night
There’s a chill in the air. The leaves are turning orange. Everything is pumpkin-flavoured. It can only mean one thing – spooky season is upon us. In the spirt of all things scary, sinister or otherwise supernatural, we sat down with Alex Moran, producer of Shock Horror, to hear about the spectral show on it’s way to City Varieties Music Hall.
Written by Alex Moran
Firstly, introduce yourself!
Hello! I’m Alex and I’m the Senior Producer for Thunder Road. I’ve also been playing Herbert in Shock Horror for the past four years.
Could you tell us a little bit about Shock Horror: A Ghost Story?
Shock Horror is set in a haunted cinema called The Metropol – it’s the story of a man called Herbert who once grew up there and has now returned to reawaken the ghosts of his childhood, with some rather terrifying results!
For horror, film or theatre fans, what shows/movies/pieces would you say inspired Shock Horror?
I’ve been a superfan of The Woman In Black for many years, and this certainly served as the first inspiration behind the story.
When I brought the original concept to Ryan Simons (Writer/Director), it sparked his love for the visceral horrors of the 70s and 80s – films like A Nightmare On Elm Street, Halloween and The Shining have played a major role in shaping this show and Herbert’s story.
Alex at filming for Shock Horror. Credit Andrew Billington
Shock Horror is a production created by Thunder Road – could you tell us a little bit about the journey Thunder Road has been on since starting in 2011?
We began by adapting cult classics and worked in association with Harrogate Theatre for over a decade. Funnily enough, our last show (pre-lockdown) was The Body Snatcher – the story of a global pandemic, performed four months before the actual, pandemic. Spooky, no?
2021 and generous support from Arts Council England really inspired Thunder Road’s move away from adapting novels towards original ghost stories that blend multimedia, illusions and puppetry, and so Shock Horror was born.
We’re now producing two mid-scale shows a year and working in association with brilliant venues like Watford Palace Theatre, so here’s to the next leg of the journey.
Credit Andrew Billington
If you had to summarise the ethos of Thunder Road, or what your team hopes audiences take from your shows, what would you say? (Apologies, I know that’s a tough one!)
We want audiences to be able to escape from their everyday lives and become totally immersed in the experience. Everything we do is for the audience, and we’ll never settle for anything that doesn’t give them value for money.
What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on in your career thus far?
Aside from Shock Horror, I would have to say War Horse with the National Theatre. I spent nearly two years of my life (including three months in South Africa) with that show.
It really was, and still is, an entertainment phenomenon, inspiring so much of the work that Thunder Road has performed over the last decade.
More about the show
Looking back at the life Shock Horror: A Ghost Story has had thus far, have there been any highlights or memorable moments with audiences?
There have been many. I remember a very special show we did just before Halloween last year – electric atmosphere, packed with young people and screams galore.
The show report that night stated that several people had run out terrified. I’m hoping for that same reaction this year…
Thunder Road started out reimagining some pretty iconic gothic classics, like Jekyll and Hyde and Count of Monte Cristo…
If you could snap your fingers and bring another classic to life on stage, what would you pick and why?
I would have loved to have brought Kidnapped to the stage. I’m a huge fan of Robert Louis Stevenson and always wanted to play Davie Balfour.
It was also my grandpa’s favourite novel and a thrilling coming-of-age story. Maybe one day we’ll delve back into the classics again.
Credit Marc Brenner
You’re bringing the show to City Varieties Music Hall, the nation’s longest-running music hall – given the themes in this show, how does it feel to get to bring it to that stage specifically?
Great question! The Metropol Cinema (our show’s setting) was originally a music hall too, made famous by wicked Victorian spiritualists who took to the stage and raised the dead… so it couldn’t be a more perfect space to perform the show in.
It’s also wonderful to be doing this show in Leeds, which is where the company is based. Who knows? Maybe with The Varieties being haunted and our true spiritual home, we might even be able to raise the dead for real on both nights…
Credit Marc Brenner
Credit Marc Brenner
Lastly, and by no means least, you have one sentence to tell us why Shock Horror isn’t one to miss. Go!
The show is one of a kind – a cinematic, nostalgic horror feast that will haunt you long after the theatre lights go out.
A true ghost story
In the spirit of the season, why not take a look back through some of the ghostly history from our venues?
From mysterious ladies who smell like lavender to phantoms appearing and then vanishing without a trace, we’ve done multiple deep dives into our haunting history. But beware… you might not look at our venues the same again!
