Night of the Living Dead

Todmorden Hippodrome AODS’ production of George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” adapted for stage and directed by Nick Birchill and Rosie Nikolich, was an ambitious and atmospheric homage to the original film, marrying genre fidelity with moments of theatrical invention. Opening on a mist-laced graveyard, a solitary ghoul staggered forward, setting a tone of creeping dread. Johnny and Barbra entered through the auditorium, their visit to their father’s grave at once pulling the audience into the world, immersive, blurred, uneasy. The story followed Barbra’s frantic escape after her brother’s death, her arrival at a house occupied by strangers and surrounded by ghouls. Tensions rose, alliances fractured, and survival became increasingly futile. The narrative stayed close to Romero’s original while injecting new theatrical forms, multimedia segments, music-infused interludes, and comedy vignettes, that stretched the genre’s shape.

Set design by James Claxton, with stage team head David Winslow and crew, offered a practical yet atmospheric foundation for the unfolding chaos. The living room furnished with era-appropriate pieces, scattered and askew, as if the space had already endured the early shock of invasion. Throughout the action, the cast themselves adjusted the setting, straightening furniture and gathering scraps of wood, repurposing these elements into barricades. Windows boarded over with salvaged planks gave the set a reactive, survivalist feel. Each change in environment served the rising tension, making the house feel both lived-in and increasingly under siege. or. The sound design, courtesy of Iain Mackness and worked by Andrew Hillock, underscored the action with layered effects: the chirr of cicadas, a ticking clock that persisted through the silence, and clear, well-timed audio cues that elevated the tension without overstatement. As the story turned inward, ghouls crept to the windows and swarmed the auditorium, the audience encircled in slow, inescapable threat.

Lighting by James Claxton (run by Ged McPhail) heightened tension without distraction, stark floods revealed a blood-splattered wall, the flashing TV echoed media frenzy, and smoke effects deepened the graveyard atmosphere with heavy foreboding. Videography and projection by Adrian Thompson were tight and well-integrated, supporting dramatic beats without overshadowing them.

The props team delivered historically consistent elements, a TV, radio, and household items that grounded the late-1960s setting. Wardrobe by Kate Lever and team echoed this authenticity, shaping each character to era and mood. Makeup, led by Kate Foster, added detail and variety across the undead ensemble: mottled skin, hollow features, bloodstained mouths, and hair tangled by time. Each ghoul felt individual, stylised but always within the story’s aesthetic frame.

Stage management was equally strong: Anna Crowther coordinated the shifting action with clarity and precision, while Maz McGuire supported transitions and backstage control as Assistant Stage Manager, helping keep pace and cohesion across scenes.

Barbra, played by Alice Impey, was emotionally compelling. Her descent after Johnny’s death still and disconnected, culminating in her eerie mimicry of a music box dancer. Alice’s physical and vocal restraint heightened the sense of her unraveling character.

George Priestley’s Johnny made a fast, memorable entrance, armed with a striking accent and assured presence. His later appearance was suitably haunting, subtly performed.

Sebastian King gave Sam a commanding edge, blending survival instinct with glimpses of empathy. Sebastian’s sharp delivery and forceful physicality tempered by vulnerable recollections and her understated care toward Barbra.

Anthony Silvester as Harry leaned into righteous rage and stubborn delusion, delivering conflict with clarity, especially opposite Sam, whose control clashed with his flailing dominance.

Jennie Bailey’s Helen softened the domestic drama with grace. Her worry for her daughter and frustrations with Harry, handled with subtle feeling, displaying emotional tension between practicality and helplessness.

Theo Hewson-Betts gave Tom calm and control, offering reason amidst irrationality. His presence helped stabilise scenes between Sam and Harry, as he tried to keep the house’s fracturing dynamics in check.

Shannon Allsop’s Judy was gentle and bright, her unshaken kindness a balm within the storm. Her softly sung lullaby to the cellar-bound child added fragility to the threat. Karen, shared by Martha Hayday-Caruana and Sophie Allsop, moved from still presence to silent menace, the transformation was quiet and grim, without overt dramatics.

The broadcast ensemble added urgency and dark wit. Hamish Heald and Michael Crowley gave sharp, fast-paced radio reports from opposite wings, accelerating with each bulletin and eventually joining the ghouls themselves. Lucy Manera stood firm and composed as the TV Announcer, delivering waves of information with clipped authority. Chris Schofield’s Dr Grimes was a comic standout, forcibly pushed into view, rattling through his lines with delightful eccentricity.

Richard Holley’s Chief McClelland stormed in full of swagger, chewing imaginary tobacco and boasting a gloriously inflated southern accent. His partnership with Simon Buck as the slow-witted Deputy was rich with comic timing. Buck’s trigger-happy goofball paired perfectly with Holley’s bravado, drawing audible laughs without undermining the play’s tone.

Act Two opened with a detour into undead cabaret: Rosie Hodson’s Hippie Ghoul eyed three feather boas, bit into one with comic horror, and finally donned another with gleeful style. Her mimed routine to ‘Mama Said’ by The Shirelles set the stage for Maddie Cullinane (House Ghoul) and Emma Webb (Waitress Ghoul) to join in. Their sequence balanced humour, movement, and eerie absurdity.

Rob Holdsworth as Graveyard Ghoul shared a surprising romantic moment with Emma’s Waitress — a “dinner for two” of innards, sat front of stage, breaking briefly from the pack. James Young as Mechanic Ghoul and Katherine Bird as Biker Ghoul rounded out the ensemble with distinct physicality and flair.

The production embraced tension and release, realism, and absurdity. It handled genre expectation with creativity, never losing the thread but finding ways to reframe it. With atmospheric precision’Night of the Living Dead’ became more than a horror homage, it was a confident piece of theatre that had the audience entertained throughout. I look forward to many more productions from TAODS in the future.

 

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