On Friday night, I joined the queue of zombies and vampires to collect my tickets for Stories Before Bedtime – Vintage Classics’ inaugural event with The Criterion Theatre and The Reader Organisation, designed to champion the love of reading and stories through a series of late-night readings at the theatre.
Being read to is one of life’s great pleasures, whatever age you are, and being read to by an acclaimed actor is even more exciting. What with it being Hallowe’en, who better to read some chilling tales than Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen), Tim McInnerney (Percy in Blackadder) and Patricia Hodge (of Miranda and Calendar Girls fame).
After imbibing a Devil’s punch or two next to some bearded ladies at the bar, we settled into our seats as the scene was set for a ghoulish night. McInnerney read M R James’ chilling ghost story ‘Oh Whistle, And I'll Come To You, My Lad’ and the audience was entranced by his wonderful rendering of the story and the brilliant piano accompaniment and sound effects of the sea gently lapping at the shore. We were all transported to the East Anglian coast, as the academic finds the ancient whistle, which when blown unleashes horror and terror for its discoverer…
Next Patricia Hodge settled into the armchair on the stage to read Elizabeth Bowen’s tale, The Demon Lover - which features in the collection A Little, Aloud - a wonderfully chilling tale about a woman who receives a letter from her former lover telling her he will meet her when the clock strikes that evening, some decades after he is believed to have been killed in action. But she feared for her safety when he was “alive” and does not relish the thought of being reunited with him. I sat nervously biting my nails as Hodge read the story with such suspense, that even if you knew what was coming, you couldn’t fail to be spooked by the devilish ending.
Mark Gatiss’ reading of EF Benson’s In the Tube was a very fitting finale, especially as some of the story takes place at Piccadilly Circus station – the tube stop right outside the theatre. Those of a nervous disposition might have found the journey home a little spooky after hearing such a scary tale, just before the clock struck midnight.
It really was a treat for Hallowe’en and reminded me just how special being read aloud to is and also how powerful it can be, something that The Reader Organisation knows only too well.
I can’t wait for the next night of readings…