By Tiziana Murgo
What is more magical and mesmerising than a garden cemetery? A night show in a garden cemetery!
Abney Park in Stoke Newington, one of the ‘magnificent seven’ garden cemeteries of London, is a woodland memorial park, local nature reserve and an oasis of peace and greenery with a fascinating history. For those brave enough to venture into the cemetery at sunset, Abney Park is collaborating with the production company Pandemonium Performance to offer its audience a unique experience in the woodland of the cemetery.
Following on from two shows over the summer, this autumn’s production (from the 24th to the 28th of October) is ‘Uncanny Tales’, an anthology show inspired by the macabre writings of literary authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and others.
If you missed the summer shows, you definitely want to check out this season’s offering, though this time it’s for over 18s only. Tickets are available at the door, but I recommend you buy beforehand online as the show is quite popular among locals and tickets sell out fast. Shows are at 7pm or 8.30pm.
The performance is set in different parts of the woodland, making the audience walk through the cemetery as the story unfolds. It is like being in a surreal world surrounded by elves and whispers. There is nothing scary about it—the atmosphere is joyful as everyone moves around the setting. At the same time, it is very strange as you are located at the same level of the actors who move around their guests with extreme participation.
Set in such a beautiful and singular location, the whole experience is relaxed and entertaining but nothing like a conventional theatre production. Be ready to walk and stand, as it is not a seated show, and dress accordingly with decent footwear, as the cemetery actually is a wood.
For tickets and more information, go to abneypark.org
