| Paranormal Activity | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Levi Holloway |
| Based on | Paranormal Activity by Oren Peli |
| Date premiered | 4 July 2024 |
| Place premiered | Courtyard Theatre, Leeds Playhouse |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Horror |
Paranormal Activity is a play written by Levi Holloway, based on the film series of the same name, set in the world of the film series. [1] The play premiered at Leeds Playhouse in July 2024, and had its West End premiere at the Ambassadors Theatre on 5 December 2025. [2]
Paranormal Activity premiered in the Courtyard Theatre at Leeds Playhouse, where it played from 4 July until 3 August 2024. [3] The premiere production was directed by Felix Barrett. [3]
In July 2025, it was announced that the play will tour the US. The tour opened at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on 8 October 2025 where it played through 2 November 2025. The tour also played at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, and is scheduled to also play at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. and the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. [4]
On 9 July 2025, it was also announced that Paranormal Activity will transfer to London's West End. It began performances at the Ambassadors Theatre on 5 December 2025, and was scheduled to close after a 12-week limited run on 28 February 2026. [2] However, due to popular demand, the West End run was extended through 28 March 2026, before receiving a second extension through 25 April 2026. [5] [6]
| Role | Leeds Playhouse | US Tour | West End |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 [7] | 2025 | 2025 [8] | |
| James | Patrick Heusinger | Ronan Rafferty | |
| Lou | Melissa James | Cher Álvarez | Melissa James |
| Carolanne | Pippa Winslow | Shannon Cochran | Pippa Winslow |
| Etheline Cotgrave | Jackie Morrison | Kate Fry | Jackie Morrison |
Paranormal Activity has received mostly positive reviews. Many reviewers have praised the show's illusions and the sheer scare factor that cause audiences to jump and scream with genuine fright.
Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times called the play “truly scary” and potentially “the year’s best staged production". McNulty described the audience as being genuinely frightened by the scenic, sound and illusion elements that worked together to “produce maximum terror.” However, McNulty noted that the story’s resolution is not fully satisfying and some plot points are overexplained. [9]
Reviewing the show's West End production, Kate Wyver of The Guardian praised the show for treating horror as an art form rather than relying on cheap jump scares. She called the production truly frightening and highlighted Chris Fisher’s “eye-popping illusions”, though she noted the dialogue was occasionally overly theatrical. [10] Film critic Tim Robey for The Daily Telegraph was impressed with the transition from film to stage, describing the play as a “spook-a-thon mounted with devious technical finesse”. [11]