SHUCK (LaPelle’s Factory/Nottingham Playhouse)***

 

By Dave

Link: https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/shuck-on-demand

Available until: 28^th May

A lot of theatres have used the pandemic as an opportunity to tell stories. One or two actors onstage, social distancing, sometimes reading aloud and sometimes from memory.

The Nottingham Playhouse also used this approach with Ghost Stories with Mark Gatiss and it’s a good idea. It helps to keep the performers safe, it reduces the need for props and as a sort of amalgamation between audiobooks and theatre – a sort of onstage, in this case acted out audiobook – it’s bound to appeal to a lot of theatregoers because we like to be told stories and if we can see the story being enacted in front of us, even better.

Shuck is based around an East Anglian legend of Black Shuck, a ghostly black dog who roams the counties. Some believe he appears in order to foretell someone’s death, very often the death of the person who sees him, though according to some versions of the legends, he’s a nice, friendly dog and really nothing to worry about. However it is the ‘death predicting’ version of the legend that features in this play. There are apparently ways of getting around this death clause which are mentioned in the story but not everyone takes this as seriously as the residents.

Olwen wouldn’t like to admit it but she takes it very seriously and when she invites Ollie home to meet her family, she tells him the local legends. It seems like Ollie enjoys the stories but that doesn’t mean he’ll take them as seriously as Olwen does. Ollie is however prepared to share the stories with the audience, helping Olwen to tell them to us.

The play is written and performed by Olwen Davies and Ollie Smith and the fact the actors have the same name as the characters gives the story a possible extra authenticity, depending on whether you believe them or not. Even if you don’t believe them it increases the atmospheric effect to know it might be true.

The stories are compelling and although they’re not terrifying as some ghost stories are, they do create a definite sense of uneasiness and even if you don’t believe in ghosts as a rule (personally I think there probably are such things as ghosts but that doesn’t mean every story you hear is true) it is easy to suspend your disbelief and get caught up in the story. There are also a couple of moments of humour – 20 years ago, I would definitely have brought that commemorative plate. And displayed it prominently too. Luckily I’ve grown up a bit since then but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find it funny.

A very enjoyable hour of ghost stories about a dog I wouldn’t want to meet on a dark night or even a sunny day!