The lights flicker, there is the sound of knocking and a pale face appears at the window of the 19th-century church turned arts centre. If you are looking for something a bit jokey and a bit spooky then the latest from Gagglebabble, the rising Welsh company who gave us the southern gothic musical spoof The Bloody Ballad, should fit the bill nicely.
This most distinctive of companies, who combine live music and theatre but are far too cool to make anything approaching a traditional musical, have certainly got plenty of spirit. This rough-and-ready show, which I saw at a preview performance, piles on the schlock to good effect as it draws on stories of Cardiff Bay’s ghostly goings-on to give theatregoers a fright in the night.
Our host for the evening is Diane (Catrin Aaron), the frumpy, earnest caretaker of the building who has invited the famous Forsythe sisters – Morven (Hannah McPake) and Maggie (Lucy Rivers) – to give a demonstration of their mediumship. This gift emerged after a childhood fire in their home across the bay, which left their parents burned to a crisp. But why does Diane invite the sisters to perform, and are Morven and Maggie quite what they seem?
Mind-reading tricks, bumps in the night and a gorgeous unworldly score pile on the atmosphere, and the show uses the space imaginatively to build to a terrific growling climax. At just an hour it feels rushed, and it would benefit from greater emotional layering and a more probing examination of belief and scepticism, scientific reason and the lure of the irrational. This still feels like a work in progress, but has real and intriguing potential, which in its current form makes you feel the spirit, even if it doesn’t quite move you.
• Until 14 February. Box office: 029-2030 4400. Venue: Norwegian church arts centre, Cardiff.
