THERE have been many claims over the years that Bournemouth’s Shelley Theatre is haunted. From animals, to people walking around the corridors, there have been various sightings and stories about the historic 19th century venue in Boscombe.

Whether you believe all this stuff or not, it certainly makes the perfect setting for an evening of ghost stories. The Book Of Darkness And Light, written by Adam Robinson with music from Ben Styles, visits the Shelley on Thursday, November 2.

Adam explains how the show has grown from an idea for an arts festival in Leeds: “What started life as an idea to present ghost stories with one voice and one violin, ended up as a theatre show that sold out lots of venues in Yorkshire. We decided to embark on a four month tour.”

From a regional presence to a national tour, producers LittleMighty helped bring the tour to fruition.

Ben says they love playing venues of different sizes. “The one thing that makes a significant difference is the intimacy of a building. Coming to Shelley Theatre, we recognise this is the perfect venue to gauge interaction.”

Adam, as the storyteller, agrees. “The moments when senses are really heightened are the silences. When there is just a sense of stillness. It makes for a very dramatic experience.

“Having a literary ghost story as our platform, we want the show to be creepy; we want it to be chilling. We cannot wait to bring it to a theatre where there is already a haunted reputation. It is going to be a fun evening for everyone and who knows what lurks in the background!”

n To book tickets visit the website shelleytheatre.co.uk or call 01202 413 600