WHAT: A Haunted House! aka AHH!
WHO: David Hoskin
WHERE: Part of A Pinch of Vault 2024 at The Spacement in The Glitch (134 Lower Marsh, London, SE1 7AE)
WHEN: 10th March 2024
PRICE: £10
OUR RATING: Do It!
Horror, comedy, mime – what’s not to love about David Hoskin’s latest show A Haunted House! aka AHH! The final event of “A Pinch of Vault 2024” (which showcases new and work-in-progress pieces from a huge range of performers), this production is replete with Hoskin’s uncanny and hilarious transmogrification into the stuff of nightmares – whether he’s galloping after hapless villagers as the Headless Horseman, or wheeling into frame as the ominous Billy from Saw.
Although billed as a work-in-progress, many of the vignettes were brilliantly polished, and left your reviewers in particularly violent fits of laughter. Through deft control of both his face and body, Hoskin is deeply studied in the intricacies of mime, building worlds before us that demonstrate even the darkest moments aren’t absent their twisted humour.
Character embodiment is clearly one of Hoskin’s strong suits. He can move seamlessly from an imprisoned victim seeking escape from Jigsaw’s fiendish contraptions (will he get the key!?!?!) to pulling himself from the earth as a shambling zombie, to hanging with his pals as a rather different kind of vampire. It’s truly riotous and despicably enjoyable in all the right ways. We also especially enjoyed Hoskin’s rapport with the audience, with whom he built a genuine connection throughout.
Directed by Elf Lyons, one can definitely see her effect at work within the piece. As big fans of Elf’s ‘Raven’ and her more recent ‘Nightmares before Christmas – A House of Horrors Christmas Special’ at 21 Soho, we were truly delighted to see her directorial talents at work.
Final Thoughts: Masterfully executed, genuinely funny, and chillingly evocative, A Haunted House! aka AHH! places Hoskin’s firmly on the map as a premier talent within horror comedy and we can’t wait for his next performance.
