When struggling working-class actor Joe (George Naylor) accepts a seductively well-paid job offer from an alluring and wealthy man, he is thrust into an increasingly nightmarish situation that has him questioning his sanity. It Walks Around the House at Night blends elements of psychological thriller, Gothic horror, and dark comedy into an atmospheric and entertaining thrill ride.
Naylor gives a fantastic performance as Joe, supported by a very strong script from playwright Tim Foley. With a sardonic yet affable charm, Joe immediately wins the audience over, and as a result they are invested and gripped when he is placed into peril. Sometimes Joe’s characterisation is a little inconsistent – one moment he is naïve and credulous, the next he has near-psychic levels of insight – but the overall effect is so strong that these inconsistencies can be overlooked or attributed to the supernatural.
As well as investment in Joe’s fate, an intriguing Gothic mystery keeps the audience hooked, and the slow discovery of information is gripping and ultimately satisfying. Foley’s script is full of beautifully evocative language, which combines perfectly with the lighting, projection, and sound (lighting and video design by Joshua Pharo, sound design by Pete Malkin) to create a spooky atmosphere that has you constantly checking every dark corner for ghosts and monsters.
A multitude of creative theatrical tricks are used to bring to life on stage the horrifying and supernatural elements of the story. Occasionally the play will use the same trick multiple times with diminishing returns, but for the most part it is continuously introducing new effects to create an unpredictable and escalating sense of horror. Some of the best moments are during the quiet and tense scenes, when Joe’s monologue slips away and lets the events happening on stage speak for themselves.
Adding another layer of intrigue is added through the script’s use of allegory to explore socio-political themes. The story of this young male actor being taken advantage of brings to mind most vividly images of former Old Vic artistic director and alleged sex offender Kevin Spacey, but who is just one example from an entire system that allows rich and powerful men to take advantage of the less privileged. Foley’s script cleverly explores these themes through subtle allegory, without compromising the exciting narrative or the horror thrills. A tacked-on ending brings these themes to a head more overtly but somewhat undermines the interesting work of the play up until that point as it presents Joe as purely spiteful and vindictive rather than having internalised any of the lessons of class consciousness learnt throughout the play.
Thanks to a fantastic script by Tim Foley, an excellent performance by George Naylor, and brilliant work from a talented team of designers, stage managers, and other artists, It Walks Around the House at Night absolutely delivers on its promise of horrifying thrills. Although imperfect in places, the overall outcome is a play that is gripping, frightening, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
It Walks Around the House at Night runs until March 28th at the Southwark Playhouse Borough, with tickets available at https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/
Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe
Reviewed: 9th March 2026
North West End UK Rating: