If you're a fan of Edgar Allan Poe's timeless classics, or simply have an insatiable appetite for #horror, then you're in for a treat! @Threedumb Theatre's "One Man Poe" offers a masterful dramatisation of four of #Poe's most spine-tingling short stories, plunging us headfirst into the worlds of his most sinister characters🖤🕳️

Stephen Smith's one-man, faithful adaptation is a testament to his profound grasp of Poe's literary genius📚 He transforms these first-person narratives into vibrant characters that inhabit fully fleshed-out worlds...

Every action breathes life into the original texts, infusing each word with extraordinary weight & meaning🎭 Plus, lines we’d probably never read as humorous make us chuckle, revealing a layer of depth & humour we might have missed in our solitary reading sessions🧐📖...

In "The Raven", for example, a truly emotive performance infuses fire & dynamism into the bouncing rhymes of this narrative poem. "The Pit and the Pendulum" transports us to claustrophobic confines, showing that Smith's interaction with the stage is nothing short of impressive as he strikingly evokes walls closing in on a prisoner...

"The Tell-Tale Heart" & "The Black Cat" leave us gasping for air, bringing dread to the mind's eye almost elegantly. However, both stories share similar themes —disturbed murderers tormented by supernatural phenomena— which somewhat temper the excitement & pulse-quickening journey throughout the evening...

In all, “One Man Poe” is a thrilling performance that makes classics of yesteryear feel incredibly modern, prompting us to reflect on our current-day depictions of horror. "The Tell-Tale Heart" might as well be an episode of #You or a scene from #AmericanPsycho, while "The Pit and The Pendulum" easily slots into a #Saw film...🤔😱

Staying faithful to the Godfather of Gothic Horror, Smith conjures a chilling tableau. #OneManPoe not only makes Poe's writing immensely accessible but also showcases the sheer craftmanship of representing it onstage. It's a horrifically good time that grabs you by the collar & refuses to let go until the final blackout... 4/5⭐

#Grimfest #gothichorror #london #oldredliontheatre