It Walks Around The House At Night – Review – Leeds Playhouse
By Kirsty Masterman, February 2026
I love a good old fashioned ghost story, but these days, they seem few and far between… the good ones anyway. So, when It Walks Around The House At Night came to Leeds recently, with promises of jump scares and plenty of spinetingling moments, I ‘jumped’ at the chance to go and see it.
Written by award-winning writer Tim Foley and directed by Neil Bettles, for production company ThickSkin, IWATHAN is a good old-fashioned kind of horror, designed to be a horror theatre experience to keep audiences on the edge of their seat, and as we take to ours, the anticipation of the unknown is palpable.
The minimalist set design gives off creepy vibes from the start – a solitary chair, lit by a single spotlight sits upon the stage as we can only anticipate what is to come. It reminds me of the cover poster for The Exorcist.
As the curtain rises, the minimalist theme remains – a slanted wooden floor, a bed, bedside table and fridge are all the props needed for this eerie tale.
“Feeling of dread”
The premise is simple but intriguing. Joe, a struggling actor barely scraping by while working in a bar, accepts an unusual but well-paid job from wealthy stranger David: to spend several nights at the remote manor, Paragon Hall, pretending to be a ghost who walks the grounds. At first, the job seems silly, but harmless. However, as the nights go on, Joe begins to suspect that something else might already be haunting the property and what begins as a seemingly simple gig, gradually transforms into a chilling and unsettling encounter with the unknown.
The production is told through the narrative of Joe (George Naylor) and features the voice of Paul Hilton. Jumping from one character to another, Naylor barely has a second to breathe as he keeps up with the pace of the script, delivering every word flawlessly. His cynicism, wit and engaging storytelling captivates the audience for the full 90 minutes – which is no mean feat by yourself. His natural humour gives the script a lively tone in the early scenes, steadily building the tension as we experience the five nights unfolding beside him, which makes the gradual shift towards his feeling of dread feel more effective.
As promised, jump scares are plentiful, created by the clever projection of sound and light around the Courtyard. The scuttling creature in Joe’s room and silhouetted hands adding to the creepiness.
The production’s physical horror element comes through the eerie presence of ‘The Dancer’, performed by Oliver Baines. Using movement and shadow, Baines slips through the shadows almost unnoticed, but rest-assured, the audience senses something lurking. It is at these moments the show’s atmosphere is strongest, as the sense of the unknown intensifies.
“Inventive”
The minimal set design allows for the lighting and sound to take centre stage. A slanted floor, shifting silhouettes and carefully timed sound cues builds the tension throughout the production. The subtle creaks, distant footsteps and bursts of noise play a crucial role in creating the play’s unnerving environment – none more so than when Joe’s tinny AirPods suddenly burst to life with a bassy rendition of Belinda Carlisle’s ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’. The Courtyard theatre space is small enough to draw the audience into Joe’s increasingly terrifying experience and makes us feel like we are all facing this together.
Revelations come thick and fast as the production nears its conclusion, with the Dancer emerging from the woods to tell his story, along with Joe’s ex-boyfriend, Rufus. David, too, brings his own storyline. As the speed of Joe’s voice increases in these moments, I struggle to keep up and by the end, I feel slightly confused.
There is no doubt that this is an inventive and entertaining piece of theatre. A darkly comic and atmospheric take on the haunted house genre, IWATHAN is ‘A haunted house story for a new era’.
Whether you are a fan of horror or are simply just a fan of a good story, one thing is for sure, Naylor’s storytelling will draw you in. This is one ghost story that lingers in the imagination long after the lights come up.
It Walks Around the House at Night… but would you?
images: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
After studying English and Creative Writing at university, Kirsty started working as an editor for PA Media way back in 2003, joining On Yorkshire in 2023. With a passion for travel and writing, the chance to combine the two became a reality for her in 2010 when she was offered the chance to visit Portugal to review a new resort. Since then, she has never looked back. Live music, theatre and restaurant reviews followed enabling her to combine all her interests. Kirsty now travels the world, reviewing some of the best hotels, restaurants and travel destinations. She particularly enjoys seeking out child-friendly places so that she can showcase destinations and experiences that can be enjoyed by parents alongside their children.
