These Demons by Rachel Bellman. Theatre 503, The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW 11 to 14 October 2023.

3***: William Russell.

In spite of some impressive performances this horror play really is a rather turgid affair. Leah (Olivia Marcus emoting rather splendidly), is a 17 year old who decides to take revenge on whoever put her Aunt Mirah in hospital – a boy appears to have thrown something at her and inured her knees. But somehow or other it all turns into a tale about demonic possession. She is Jewish and although exorcism is a ritual for the Catholic Church there are, it seems, ways that Jews also deal with demons and Aunt Mirah, an academic and expert on the Talmud, has lots of books on the subject. Her elder sister Danielle (Liv Andrusier looking incredibly glamorous) turns up to get Leah to come home and they squabble furiously while things start to go bump in the night – actually more plop than bump - and feathers float mysteriously down from the rafters. Aunt Mirah returns on crutches and adds to the confusion. The trouble is that horror should make one afraid, but Bellman’s play instead of scaring one to death in this production ends up boring one to death in spite of the efforts of the cast. The wind howls, windows blow open, Aunt Mirah delivers commentaries on the goings on and the sisters bicker endlessly and that is about it. Marcus suggests the torment Leah is going through but is less successful at creating a teenager and the conflict between the two sisters is turned the wrong way round as she looks like the older one. There are issues in plenty there from the strains of sisterhood to anti Semitism but director Jasmine Teo struggles to get them across although the fault lies in the play.

Cast

Olivia Marcus – Leah.

Liv Andrusier – Danielle.

Ann Marcuson – Mirah.

Creatives

Director – Jasmine Teo.

Costume Designer – Sophie Firth.

Lighting Designer – Skylar Turnbull Hurd.

Sound Designer – Niamh Gaffney.

Movement Director –Laura Wohlwend.