Horror plays have been making quite the resurgence in recent years, so what better time for the OG Ghost Stories to make its big come back? The play, written by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, made its debut in 2010 before being made into a film starring Martin Freeman seven years later. Making a return to what is today a more crowded market with the success of productions such as Danny Robins’ 2:22 and Inside No 9 Stage/Fright was a gamble, but one that definitely pays off.

Despite the fact that this play has been around the block more than once, the Aberdeen audience did not know what they were letting themselves in for. Nervous titters fill the theatre as people reluctantly take their seats, wondering what on earth they’ve let themselves in for.

One of the key strengths of this show is how immersive it is. When the production’s protagonist, Professor Goodman, skilfully played by Dan Tetsell, takes to the stage, on a mission to debunk the paranormal, we’re immediately with him. The fact that he’s talking directly to us and involving us the audience in his journey into the dark, only makes what’s to follow all the more terrifying.

There are scares and phenomenal visual and sound effects aplenty as the sceptical Professor of Parapsychology tell us about three hauntings he can’t quite explain – one involves a night watchman (David Cardy), another a teenage boy (Eddie Loodmer-Elliott) and the last, a businessman (Clive Mantle) awaiting his first child.

Being presented with such a slick and rich storyline is bound to cause headaches when it comes to staging – especially for a touring production – but the Ghost Stories set is second to none. Watching it morph and change as we jump from scene to sinister scene is nothing short of incredible. The play is visually spectacular and there are moments in it that the audience can’t quite explain.

The beauty of Ghost Stories is that its thrills aren’t cheap or throwaway. This labyrinth of a story is chilling and compelling right to the end.

To give away what makes it chilling and compelling would be criminal. It’s up to every audience to unlock the dark secrets of this play for themselves. But what can be said is that Ghost Stories is not for the faint hearted. As the audience left the theatre those nervous titters had turned into anxious laughter. We may have survived Ghost Stories but there was the certainty that this dread-filled play would follow us home.