07: 1996 - The Haunting Of Hill House

Coming immediately after "Alice...", this was a bit of a rest break, with the set itself was a nearly-standard box in gloomy 1950s decor. The double doors at the back were a bit awkward, as such things always are, due to the rake of the stage (which slopes down towards the front, for easier viewing by the audience). Doors have a tendency to slowly open themselves as a result, which means a lot of wedging and securing have to take place. Other than that, the only constraint was bracing all the flats so they didn't shake: there was a lot of knocking and pounding on them as the evil spirit of Hill House gradually closed in on its chosen victim (or - in less flowery terms - as the sounds lady frequently had to hammer on them).

Much of the atmosphere of the play came from the technical effects, rather than the setting itself. In a way, that was part of the charm: for it to look like a normal drawing-room until the night came and the supernatural manifestations began...