Horror is a difficult genre to get right; it needs to toe the perfect line between psychological and physical threat. Real Horror Show struggles to pitch anywhere near this line, veering wildly between the macabre and dull; too often weak gags ruin any tension and the horror goes too far too quickly to be actually scary. Of the six plays within the performance, only the third, a horror of misunderstanding set in pitch dark, actually works, but this is as much to do with the natural horror that darkness provides rather than any of the acting, which is stale, uninspired and over-pitched for the entire show. If you want horror, pick up ‘The Evil Dead’; it’ll be a lot cheaper too.

Assembly Roxy, until 26 Aug, 10.45pm.
tw rating 2/5 | [Joseph Trotter]