Ghostly Stately Home Thriller Aims to Terrify

A ghostly thriller will unfold in the grounds and grand rooms of a Norfolk stately home in a newly-adapted drama.

The audience will follow the action around historic Wolterton Hall in unique production of The Turn of the Screw.

It has been penned by renowned writer Mike Poulton, whose work has been staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company and on New York’s Broadway.

And the cast of professional and community actors is led by Rose Quentin, daughter of well-known TV and stage star Caroline, but a rising actress in her own right.

The classic Henry James psychological spine chiller, produced by Sheringham Little Theatre, runs from July 8-12. It tells the story of a young governess caring for two children at an idyllic country house before strange supernatural events start happening.

The project sprang from Mike visiting the seaside theatre venue and chatting to the Wolterton show director Katie Thompson who asked for advice on adapting the show to take “on tour”.

Mike, who has lived in north Norfolk for more than a decade, has worked alongside theatre greats including Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Alan Bates, and Sir Ian McKellen, but offered to customize the classic Gothic thriller for free to fulfil a lifelong ambition.

He said: “I’ve wanted to do it as a challenge ever since I was at university so when Katie asked for suggestions on which adaptation would be best for the hall, I said I’d do a new one. It’s a project close to my heart, trying to capture the original theme of keeping the audience guessing whether the ghosts are real or imaginary.

“It’s also brilliant working with a cast partly drawn from the community because that is where theatre starts.

“I am really excited to see how the play fits into the Wolterton setting, but also hope to further adapt it for commercial theatres.

“It opens with two absolutely delightful children and a young governess who thinks she’s gone to heaven. Then the first ghost appears and the screw tightens into a terrifying ending.”

Rose Quentin, 26, who plays the governess, has done a variety of roles since qualifying from musical theatre school in 2019, including a horror movie and spooky stage show, and recently toured in Jane Austen’s Emma in the comedic role of pretentious Augusta. She has also worked alongside her mother in two shows, as Lady Hamilton in Infamous and a brothelkeeper’s daughter in Mrs Warren’s Profession.

She said: “This a horror story too, and I always feel the real horror is in the humans rather than the ghosts and apparitions.

“I am really excited about doing this show in such a stunning setting, starting at dusk. My character is a well-educated but not worldly young woman who believes the ghosts are real. But are they? My challenge is to keep the audience guessing. I can’t wait.”

Other cast members include Sheringham summer regular Rachael Cummins as housekeeper Mrs Grose and two sets of local youngsters, Tom and Elizabeth Heath, plus Alfie Thomas and Alexis Pistorius, taking it in turns to play the children Flora and Miles.

Little Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “We are thrilled with this collaboration with Wolterton, honoured to be working with such an illustrious writer as Mike, and excited by our cast which mixes professional talent with community actors. It all goes to underline that despite being the Little Theatre we have a big and growing reputation in the theatre world.”

For show tickets and more information please click here, call 01263 768966 or email info@wolterton.co.uk