Now in its 25th year in the West End, The Woman In Black has set the standard for live horror on stage.

With its use of simple stagecraft, sparing sound effects and a repeating a capella refrain, Box Tale Soup’s take on one of MR James’s best-loved chillers has followed in the footsteps of the long-running hit.

While their Argus Angel-winning Fringe debut Northanger Abbey featured a cast of puppets alongside the live action, performers Noel Byrne and Antonia Christophers have made Casting The Runes a spine-crawling two-hander. The only inanimate character is used sparingly, but to impressive effect as sceptical para-psychologist Edward Dunning gets his eyes opened wide by the mute alchemist Karswell.

Much of the horror comes from the seemingly mundane – late-night knocks on the door, mysterious warnings and the reactions of those who realise the danger Dunning is blundering into all allowing the audience to fill in the blanks.

A sparse musical version of The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner weaves through the tale, adding to the creepy atmosphere and drawing parallels to the unfortunate sailor’s cursed condition. As with Northanger Abbey, Box Tale Soup are not afraid to place all the props in front of the audience’s eyes – but still manage to create the unexpected in plain sight.