Melting Pot today announces casting for its major UK and Ireland tour of the smash-hit, Paranormal Activity. The spine-chilling theatrical experience will star James Bye (2:22, UK Tour, BBC 1’s EastEnders) as ‘James’, Hannah Sinclair Robinson (The Play That Goes Wrong, West End, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, National Theatre, UK and Ireland Tour) as ‘Lou’, Jo Castleton (War Horse at the National Theatre, National and International Tour;) as ‘Etheline Cotgrave’ and Caroline Faber (Network and The Heiress, National Theatre) as ‘Carolanne.’
Opening at Richmond Theatre on Saturday, 5 September 2026, the supernatural smash will visit towns and cities nationwide until May 2027, giving audiences across the country a chance to witness the haunting phenomenon that has taken the West End by storm. Originally developed at Leeds Playhouse, the production returns this Christmas for a spine-chilling festive run.
Praised for its inventive storytelling and terrifying atmosphere, Paranormal Activity is a must-see event for thrill-seekers and theatre lovers alike. Following its original run at Leeds Playhouse and its first West End engagement, which saw the show play at the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre from Friday 5 December 2025 – Saturday 25 April 2026. The show returns to the same venue this summer, where it reopens on Tuesday 11 August and will run simultaneously with the tour, having just extended for the fourth time.
Paranormal Activity began a North American tour last autumn, with dates including the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington DC and American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. Paranormal Activity marks its Canadian premiere at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto this June, ahead of a run at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theater in July, before embarking on a 20-week Broadway season at the August Wilson Theatre from August 14 2026.
A new story inspired by the worldwide horror phenomenon, Paranormal Activity, is directed by immersive theatre pioneer and Punchdrunk’s Founder and Artistic Director, Felix Barrett and written by playwright Levi Holloway, whose pulse-pounding theatrical thriller Grey House chilled Broadway audiences.
James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are…This thrilling West End hit is inspired by the iconic, hugely popular film series, Paranormal Activity, with a brand-new story live on stage. Now embarking on its first ever UK and Ireland tour after a sell-out, extended run in London, this chilling production promises to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Hold your nerve…
Paranormal Activity reimagines the modern ghost story with an unsettling intimacy only theatre can provide. Immersing audiences in an atmosphere of creeping dread, unseen forces, and psychological tension, Levi Holloway’s script offers a bold reinterpretation of the original, blending domestic horror with mind-bending theatricality. Felix Barrett, known for breaking boundaries between audience and performer, brings his signature visionary style to the production. With innovative staging and chilling soundscapes, Paranormal Activity invites audiences to witness the inexplicable up close—and feel the fear in real time.
The creative team also includes Fly Davis as Set and Costume Designer, Illusions by Chris Fisher, Anna Watson as Lighting Designer, Gareth Fry as Sound Designer, Video Design by Luke Halls and Casting Direction by Ginny Schiller CDG.
Blurring the line between cinema and live theatre, Paranormal Activity has been hailed as a ‘relentlessly frightening – arm-clutchingly, stranger-embracingly so’ (Metro) theatrical experience — leaving audiences jumping out of their seats and questioning what’s lurking in the dark long after the curtain falls.
‘A chilling evening: a cracking ghost story so skilfully delivered that it might follow you home.’ – Financial Times
Released by Paramount Pictures in 2009, the original Paranormal Activity is a master class in psychological terror. Reimagining the found footage genre for a new generation, the film became a global sensation, grossing nearly $200 million worldwide and kicking off a blockbuster franchise spanning seven feature films. Now, the legacy of fear comes to the intimate world of the theatre as the terrifying phenomenon transitions to the West End stage. Get ready to experience Paranormal Activity in real life.
‘Will I be scared? Yes. How scared? Very. Cleverly, too.’ – Chicago Tribune
Paranormal Activity is produced by Simon Friend & Hanna Osmolska for Melting Pot in association with Gavin Kalin, Ken Davenport, Jenny King, Patrick Gracey, Jonathan & Rae Corr and Leeds Playhouse.
Age recommendation – 15 +
Paranormal Activity will be at Norwich Theatre Royal from 10 – 14 Nov.
