Review: The Shadow In The Mirror (The Mill at Sonning)

Review by Daz Gale

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As spooky season approaches, we are starting to see a lot more ghost stories and horror shows (though, to an extent, there is always the risk of a very different kind of horror show) take to the stage The picturesque Mill at Sonning is no exception - though they are usually home to more feelgood dramas and farcical comedies, they dipped their toe into a darker genre last year with The Whistling, and are attempting it again with a stage adaptation of The Shadow In The Mirror. Would it prove terrifying for all the right reasons, or would it end up giving me nightmares for another reason entirely?

Based on Gerald Durrell’s haunting short story The Entrance, The Shadow In The Mirror is set in Marseilles in 1901 as a bookseller discovers an ancient doorway in an old country house and the ghostly terror that lurks behind it, ultimately blurring the boundary between the living and the dead, and leading to a chilling confrontation.

Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s adaptation succeeds in translating the chilling nature of the story to the stage, creating a tense and suspenseful production that immerses you in a truly atmospheric production. Full of intrigue, this was a refreshing change of pace for the show’s usually seen at Sonning, proving that a dip in a different genre can match the overall quality they usually pride themselves on, on what regular visitors here will know to be one of my personal favourite venues to visit.

Also impressing are the strong design elements present. Diego Pitarch’s set design is striking from the moment you first glimpse it, beautifully dark and foreboding, full of secrets to really make the story excel. It comes alive thanks to Mike Robertson’s stunning lighting design, and an inclusion of video design from Graham Weymouth. Getting horror right on stage is no easy task, and I have seen many a show stumble in their attempts to do so. The Shadow In The Mirror achieves this far more successfully than most, with some great effects signifying the different world Peter Letting finds himself in.

Nick Waring leads the cast as Peter Letting, the bookseller who moves the story on in an accomplished and captivating portrayal. With a slight and deliberate nervousness in his performance, he embodies the unexpected situation Letting finds himself in with just the right balance of fear. Beautifully representing the story and making it effortless to invest in the plight of his character, he proves gripping throughout.

Taking on a number of roles, Gregg Lowe is at his strongest when he takes on the role of Gideon De Teildras, in a more eccentric and larger-than-life performance that balances the understated nature of Waring’s Letting, creating an interesting dynamic between the pair that lights up the stage. George Dillon proves ominous as the ever-present John the Jailer in a dominating and often uncomfortable watch, while Giles Taylor completes the cast of four with a strong performance as Edward Mallory amongst other roles.

A trip to The Mill at Sonning is always a stunning experience in itself, and is more than just a show - though this forms the main course in itself. The “starter” of which is a delicious two-course meal that comes with the ticket for the show, always a real treat and sets you up for a wonderful day there. Given the picturesque setting, any trip to The Mill at Sonning is guaranteed to be a fantastic day, and is only a short journey outside of London to get there. If you ask me, it’s worth every second it takes.

The Shadow In The Mirror is perhaps not the kind of show I would have expected to see at The Mill at Sonning, but ultimately, that is what made it so impactful. A refreshing change, and a bold one at that - the risk has more than paid off, with a strong production in direction, design and cast. With very few demons lurking in the shadows of this production, it proved to be anything other than a horror show upon reflection.

The Shadow In The Mirror plays at the Mill at Sonning until 8th November. Tickets from https://millatsonning.com/Events/the-shadow-in-the-mirror/

Photos by Pamela Raith