What most appealed to you about The Uninvited?
I really liked the fact it felt like a new and original take on an established genre. There are familiar elements for those who like ghost stories, but it’s always nice to feel like even if you know the tropes, you can’t be sure of what’s going to happen next.
The story deals with themes such as trauma, deception and the things people do to survive. Is there anything you particularly related to when reading it?
Yes, there is something very human about that. I’ve had to make a number of very hard decisions in my life and while for the most part I’m happy with the choices I made, it’s really fun to explore where different people go as a result of something like that.
You play Laurence, an ambitious entrepreneur with a chequered past. How do you see him?
He’s a good example of how sometimes reasonably smart people fall foul of their own exceptionalism. He’s good at, and has built a career on, solving complex problems or exploiting loopholes within rules, but that means he sometimes ends up creating more problems for himself.
How did you prepare for playing the role?
I worked closely with Anna, who plays Laurence’s wife, Emily, to establish a believable relationship history between the couple. That informs a lot of the dynamic they have in the play. Without getting into spoiler territory, I looked closely at the key elements of what shaped Laurence’s character when we are first introduced to him. It’s always fun to build justifications around a character’s behaviour based on all the stuff we don’t see.
Do you believe in ghosts?
No, but I find them fascinating as a concept. Clearly there is something very compelling in the idea of ghosts. People keep coming back to them again and again in stories and folklore, and as explanations for seemingly inexplicable phenomena. Like a lot of things though, they don’t have to be real to teach us a lot of very interesting things about ourselves.
What three words would you use to sum up the play?
Intense. Thrilling. Captivating.
What other play/s would you compare it to?
The Canterville Ghost, The Turn of the Screw, and 2:22: A Ghost Story.
Why should people come to see The Uninvited?
You’ve not seen a ghost story quite like this one before. That’s one thing that leapt out at me immediately when I’d read the script for the first time. Whether you’re familiar with the hallmarks of ghost stories or not, a true believer or a sceptic, there’s a lot in this story for you to enjoy.
We’d like to thank Sam for taking the time to speak to us and can’t wait for the showcase of The Uninvited at The Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe.
Performance info
Thurs 12 September 2024, 6pm
£5 per ticket
Box Office Details
Phone: 01271 316523
Email: northdevon.tickets@landmarktheatres.co.uk
We hope to see you there.