BBC Radio 4, April 17, 2022 and on BBC Sounds

Come one, come all to Sheridan’s… but be wary of what the Siren of the Second Sight has to say…

Listening to Neil Brand’s terrific amalgamation and updating of four Joseph Le Fanu is an education, not least in how to say the author’s name – I’ve been mispronouncing it Luh FARN-oo all my life! It’s something of a homage to the Amicus portmanteau movies of the 70s, where different plotlines twist and weave around each other, and characters who feature heavily in one story make appearances in others, sometimes as cameos, sometimes with more import. It’s also a lesson in how to update source material and make it relevant without undercutting the relevance of the original.

Four key Le Fanu tales form the basis of the play, each focusing on one key protagonist who attends Sheridan’s nightclub in contemporary Dublin, and finds that the singer has words of wisdom, the meaning of which may not be immediately obvious. Haydn Gwynne leads the cast and provides more than one memorable character (and demonstrates an ability to scream in unlikely keys!), while Ruth Everett, Matthew Durkan and Jonathan Forbes find their lives are not going to go the way they expect (although given Everett also plays the Siren, maybe she should have a word with herself?) supported by a strong cast.

Paul Chahidi’s MC is our narrator through the tales, allowing Brand to incorporate some of Le Fanu’s creepier moments, which quite honestly feel timeless – it’s the trappings that have changed, for the most part. There’s some inevitable alterations given we’re in 2022 not 1872, but these work for the most part well, retaining Le Fanu’s macabre elements. Tracey Neale’s direction varies the pace to allow for the assorted different climaxes to the tales, while Brand provides suitable songs as well as the script. And a shoutout to the sound design by Peter Ringrose that enfolds you – listen on headphones. Ideally late at night with the lights off…

Verdict: A timely reminder of the power of Le Fanu’s work, and I look forward to a return visit to Sheridan’s… with some trepidation. 9/10

Paul Simpson