Adapted by Matthew Holness

Bafflegab, out 6 December

The Fell family home needs modernising – but the past has a long reach.

Bafflegab produced a collection of M R James stories for Audible a few months back and demonstrated a clear understanding of what made the tales work, even when transplanted forward by over a century. Matthew Holness’ version of The Ash Tree continues this trend, making the heir to the Fell family name female, but maintaining the core elements.

The original appeared in Ghost Stories of an Antiquary 115 years ago, and even then was describing events from over a century previous. Holness has moved the whole thing to 2019, tweaked some of the professions involved and added in some extra appropriate layers – there’s a particular physical quality to it that feels as if it should have been in James’ original. Unlike some modernisations, the end result hasn’t needed a wholesale restructuring of the ending to work in the 21st century and it’s as searing here as in James’ story.

There are strong performances from the core trio – Amanda Abbington as the last of the Fell line, Reece Shearsmith as her partner and John Sessions as local historian Mr Crome – with Holness creating tensions between them, and others that seem destined to end in tragedy of some sort or another. Simon Robinson’s sound design and Edwin Sykes’ music underscore the rising tensions that director Simon Barnard keeps tightening throughout.

Verdict: I listened to this while driving through dark lanes in the Sussex countryside – but I suspect it would be equally chilling no matter where. A perfect tale for a dark night… 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order from Bafflegab

Click here to read our interview with Matthew Holness