Haunted Child causes a stir at the Royal Court

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Haunted Child by Joe Penhall is the latest production from Genesis partner The Royal Court to be praised by the national critics. A chilling family drama that centres on a young boy who starts seeing visions of his absent father, this unsettling play questions the things we believe in and their uncertain consequences.

What the critics said:
“Penhall’s writing is not ostentatious in its absence of answers; rather it discreetly poses a clutch of questions and leaves just the kind of holes that strengthen the play rather than weakening it, and allow us to peer into it from a variety of angles.”
Ian Shuttleworth, Financial Times

“Penhall is very good at creating a sense of unease (…) Jack Boulter is the latest in a long line of impressive child actors in whom our stage suddenly seems rich. [Haunted Child] offers a deeply disturbing picture of the way children are frequently sacrificed to adult desires.”
Michael Billington, The Guardian

“Penhall has a knack of combining tension with comedy in the utter absurdity of the things couples say (…) the resolution has a moment of sharp drama, a chilling glimpse of a bad possibility, and a final gleam of hope.”
Libby Purves, The Times

“[Haunted Child] gets right under your skin – which is a credit both to Penhall’s writing and to the finely judged unease of Jeremy Herrin’s production.”
Paul Taylor, The Independent

Haunted Child is at the Royal Court Theatre until 14 Jan 2012. To book tickets, click here.