Melissa James & Patrick Heusinger in Paranormal Activity | Photo by Johan Persson
I went into this assuming it was going to be a cheap-thrill theatrical stunt, with a series of gimmicky jump scares that would range from reasonably effective to pretty obnoxious. Produced by Melting Pot and presented by Mirvish, Paranormal Activity is more restrained, clever and emotionally compelling than it necessarily needs to be. As it’s based on the films, I was also anticipating a lot of projected video slapped onto the action to recreate the found footage genre element that defines the series. But this has theatrical ambitions of its own and a significantly dynamic visual identity.
Distancing itself from the POV/security camera trappings of the series, this original storyline sees Chicago couple James (Patrick Heusinger) and Lou (Melissa James) trying to settle into their new London suburban home. Though Fly Davis’s split-level set is an impressively detailed achievement from the start, I was initially worried it would be too theatrically flat. Presenting a two-story house in cross-section, it seems as if the people might get lost in its immensity, but this head-on view proves to have a wide array of spooky possibilities.
Levi Holloway’s script is a slow-burn. By the time any creepy shenanigans start, we’ve already been lulled into a false sense of comfort with these characters. The natural dialogue establishes the genuine affection and tension of their relationship in a way that seems honest. Heusinger and James have ample chemistry, humour and playfulness, so the decently nuanced and relatable conflict that develops is suitably effective.
She’s got a traumatic backstory involving a family tragedy and a supernatural entity (or psychotic delusion) that has tracked her ever since. He’s a affable jokester and a lapsed Christian who’s trying to make sense of her episodes and maintain a semblance of normalcy. We can understand how she feels condescended to while also appreciating his good intentions.
His religious and domineering mother, Carolanne (whose name must be a reference to Poltergeist) is played with quirky insistence by Pippa Winslow, whom we originally only see in video-calls, but who eventually shows up in the flesh. When she turns out to not be quite who we think she is, her cold delivery sent a chill through me.
Everyone here turns out not be exactly who we think they are. Both Lou and James eventually reveal dark motivations from their past. The podcasting medium they bring in to assess the spectral presence in the house, the mannered and pleasantly assertive Etheline Cotgrave (Jackie Morrison), seems proficient enough at first, but even she isn’t prepared for the nasty vibes that take over the scene she seemed to be presiding over.
There are a few big-ass scares that rely on really loud noises, but those aren’t the most effective in director Felix Barrett’s unsettling production. Chris Fisher’s illusions have impressive range, from unexpected sudden scares to gradual, cumulative creeps. I found my eyes darting from one dark corner to another, convinced I some flicker of movement—never in the same place, never caught directly. My primed and paranoid imagination? Regardless, the effect is unnerving, to the production’s credit.
Anna Watson’s lighting conjures so many distinct moods, transforming the warm and mundane comfort of the tangible environment into a cold, expansively ominous space. Little details, like the occasional sweep of a car’s headlights through the window, really sell the reality of this story so that when the shit really hits the fan, we’re already immersed. Gareth Fry’s sound design completes the effect with persuasive creaks, cracklings and drones.
It’s not a deep or complex story, but it does have plenty of intrigue and an emotional core. There’s a goofy, rather sweet early scene between Lou and James where a bell is introduced. If you have any awareness at all of how stories function, you’ll know how it’ll eventually payoff. As foreshadowing, it’s not subtle or sophisticated, more like a sledgehammer to the face—blunt and obvious, sure, yet a solid blow none-the-less.
Paranormal Activity
June 9 to July 5, 2026
CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre
(244 Victoria Street)
2 hours (including intermission)
Melissa James & Patrick Heusinger in Paranormal Activity | Photo by Johan Persson