The terrifying pop culture phenomenon Paranormal Activity has left the screen behind and is (successfully) haunting stages across the UK.

Based on the 2007 horror phenomenon that grossed $194 million worldwide from a budget of just $15,000, the stage adaptation follows James and Lou, a newlywed couple who move into a new home and soon discover that they're not alone.

The reviews for London, Milton Keynes and Glasgow are in, including our own thoughts on the found-footage to stage adaption. Take a read below to find out what we and other viewers thought of Paranormal Activity.

What The Critics Thought...

The Reviews Hub (Glasgow)

"That there are plot holes and not a great deal of character development, is entirely forgivable as the entire experience more than makes up for any faults. Thoroughly entertaining, it is an excellent palate cleanser in a smorgasbord of musical theatre. Well worth watching."

The Guardian (London)

"By treating horror as an art form rather than a cheap set of jump scares, this thrilling new show, which wears its connection to the world of the Paranormal Activity film franchise lightly, proves how jaw-clenchingly, arm-clutchingly frightening horror on stage can be."

"The script may be perfunctory, and some of it is deeply hammy, but its flaws are forgivable for such a dexterous production, with every technical element ramping up tension and toying with expectations."

LisaInTheTheatre (Glasgow)

"I'm in awe at the skill it must take to deliver this show night after night. The small cast and backstage teams have to navigate precisely timed visual and sound effects, and elements that I assume are hidden within the set and costumes."

"As a horror fan I'm thrilled that we finally have a play that does the genre justice. Paranormal Activity on stage will not be for everyone, but for those looking for a good scare, it's the perfect Halloween treat."

TImeOut (London)

"It's a slick, self-contained two hours of mounting terror that, as much as anything else, serves as a showcase for the type of tricks a great creative team can accomplish in a theatre"

A Youngish Perspective (Glasgow)

"Despite a few moments of hammy dialogue, and some slightly spotty American accents, the show is a fast paced modern ghost story that leaves the audience at the edge of their seat."

What We Thought...

Take a read below to find out what Kitty and Daniel thought of this bold theatre adaption.

Kitty

Featuring an impressive roster of some of theatre's most innovative creatives, including Punchdrunk director Felix Barratt and breathtaking illusions from Chris Fisher (the man behind Derren Brown's stage shows, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, and Stranger Things: The First Shadow), this is no cynical cash-grab, but a well-studied and gloriously scary addition to the Paranormal Activity-verse.

Plunging the audience into darkness from the first moments, you're gently ushered into the pulse-raising two-and-a-bit hours with the instruction from an unseen podcast host to breathe deeply and asked to consider that its not just places that are haunted, it's people. It's a simple but clever bit of grounding, silencing the titters of the auditorium effectively before we meet Lou and James, our normal young couple, who are on the precipice of a good old-fashioned haunting.

With the lights coming up on Fly Davis's impressive set (a whole house, on two levels), we learn that they're transplants, lured from Chicago to London by the promise of a new job and a new start. Something's gone on in the past; Lou is on antidepressants and can't quite leave it behind, and upbeat James is skeptical, but they're both trying to make something new, even if the house is old and creaky, with crapped-out electrics...

The dialogue begins playfully, easing you in gently before the first jump scare. Heart rates raised, it plays out along the lines you'd expect, lulling you in, ratcheting the tension; darkness returns and bam! You're terrified again.The work of Anna Watson and Gareth Fry (sound and lighting), coupled with Fisher's baffling stage effects (so good, the cast have signed an NDA to keep the secrets), it's a marvellous night at the theatre for both film and stage fans, buoyed by some fantastic performances. Hannah Sinclair Robinson (our Lou on this tour) has a natural presence, be she utterly harrowed, possessed or playful, and Levi Holloway's writing helps to elevate the show from spooky melodrama to something far darker.

Like the cast, I don't want to reveal the story's secrets, so I'll just end by saying that Paranormal Activity is a worthy addition to horror theatre, incorporating both the sleight of hand and misdirection of The Woman in Black and the frightfest crowd-pleaser lighting and sound design of Ghost Stories; it's one hell of an entertaining night out at the theatre, and if, like me, you loved the movies, you'll love this new chapter.

Daniel

As a self-proclaimed horror fanatic, I was extremely doubtful about just how effective a stage adaptation of such a low-budget, minimalist found-footage movie could really be. Those doubts were blown away within the first 30 seconds.

The deafening chorus of Nirvana's Lithium, combined with a theatre so dark you can't see your own hands, put me in a genuine state of fight or flight. In fact the young couple next to me actually compared their raised heart-rates on their Apple Watches. That's when I realised I wasn't going to necessarily 'watch' horror, I was going to experience the horror itself.

With incredible stage design, mind-bending practical effects and enough twists and turns to keep you hooked, Paranormal Activity Live is a genuine treat for horror fans. It somehow manages to take the fear of the original film and translate it into something that feels even more threatening, while simultaneously adding more depth to the characters than the original film.

If you want to know just how effective the horror is, consider this: when my mother (who is still recovering from watching The Exorcist in 1974) asked if I'd recommend the show, I had to say no.