Theatre Preview: The Croft Brings Chilling Drama to Liverpool Playhouse

Currently embarking on a highly anticipated UK tour, Original Theatre’s production of The Croft has already garnered significant critical attention since its 2020 premiere, being praised for its masterful blend of suspense, history, and the supernatural. It is set to run at the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th July.

Set against the starkly beautiful yet haunting backdrop of the remote Scottish Highlands, The Croft transports audiences to a former crofter’s hut in the deserted village of Coille Ghillie. Here, a seemingly peaceful retreat for Laura and her partner Suzanne spirals into an unsettling encounter with the hut’s deeply embedded past. The narrative skilfully interweaves three distinct timelines—the present day, the 1980s, and the tumultuous era of the 1870s Highland Clearances—to explore profound themes of love, loss, and the enduring echoes of history through the lives of three women connected across generations.

Critics have already lauded Milles’ ability to craft an emotionally resonant and undeniably chilling experience, frequently highlighting the play’s “triumph of suspenseful writing” and its powerfully atmospheric storytelling. Alastair Whatley, the Artistic Director of Original Theatre, has been instrumental in bringing this intricate and multi- layered narrative to life on stage.

Liverpool Noise’s Steve Kinrade was granted the opportunity to discuss some of the challenges and triumphs of directing such a complex piece with him, examining the creative decisions behind its acclaimed atmosphere and visual spectacle, and how the play navigates its blend of historical drama and supernatural thriller. Its a rare insight into the creative process of producing a national touring theatre production…

How did you approach directing a play that spans three different timelines, and what strategies did you use to ensure clarity and cohesion for the audience?

Alastair Whatley: The Croft is told over three clearly differentiated timelines, all of which intersect. Working alongside the original director, my good friend Philip Franks, we looked to work to find ways in which the same location could transform in simple but effective ways. All three timelines take within the same building, an old highlands croft set out on the Applecross peninsula on Wester Ross. Adrian Linford’s design beautifully conveys a sense of the history of the building, layering the past into the fabric of the scenic elements. Once you add in Chris Davey’s lighting design which again looks to find ways to help clearly signify the timelines, from simple things such as specific practical lights only being used for specific timelines, to use of the hearth as the key light source in the scenes set in the 1800’s to some carefully choreographed on stage costume changes to the use of Max Pappenheim’s music and sound design.

After that it was a case of using the theatricality embedded within the writing and the very precisely crafted doubling that Ali Milles has specified. Every actor but one has a double that occupies a different time, and each character is connected to their double. Ali suggests that it is very hard to escape our past, and that perhaps the present is inevitable and almost per-ordained. That’s a scary thought if you allow yourself to dwell on it, as it suggests our own free-will and decision making isn’t quite what it seems.

The Croft explores intense themes such as grief, identity, and the supernatural. How did you guide the actors to navigate the emotional transitions between the intimate and the eerie?

AW: The answer here is we looked to find the emotional truth first and foremost: the supernatural elements in the play are all in varying degrees true of Ali’s experience and indeed the folklore of this isolated, real, now deserted village called Coillie Ghillie. We explored as a company experiences we have all had that we struggled to explain- it was amazing as we spoke early in rehearsals how many strange, eerie, unsettling and at times profoundly moving experiences had been experienced that all sat outside the edges of our understanding. Once we managed to reach into the reality of the characters experiences we simply tried to play and explore those as honestly and truthfully as we could. The rest flows from there…

What were the greatest creative challenges you faced in bringing The Croft to life on stage – and how did you overcome them to deliver the chilling atmosphere audiences have praised?

AW: There is a scene in the second half in which all the supernatural elements come to the surface involving a lot of technical elements that require split second timing and a lot of team work, it took us days of work across all departments- it felt like a pit-stop of a formula one car- a short moment of real intensity, intense team work and timing. Yet combined with this it was in fact the weaving of these supernatural ‘effects’ into the emotional truth of Ali’s play- which is about trying to move on from trauma, to let go of the past and the scars we all carry with us. There is a sadness and weight that underpins the story and it was important to do justice to that whilst ensuring the tricks/effects and thrills had the impact they need. It is a delicate balance to strike.

From our conversation, it is clear that in bringing The Croft to the stage, Alastair Whatley and his creative team have crafted a theatrical experience that skilfully blends technical precision with profound emotional depth. Despite the production’s technical demands, Whatley ensures these elements always serve the story’s core: its exploration of grief, identity, and the haunting resonance of history.

For anyone seeking a play that truly engages the mind and stirs the soul, The Croft is an absolute must-see. It’s not just a ghost story; it’s a meticulously crafted exploration of human resilience, the weight of history, and the unbreakable ties that bind us across generations. The sheer artistry in its direction, design, and performances promises an evening of theatre that will linger long after the final curtain falls, leaving you with both a chill and a profound sense of connection to its haunting narrative. As The Croft lands in Liverpool as part of it’s 2025 UK tour, it stands as a compelling fusion of historical drama and supernatural thriller, vividly brought to life through genuine creative ingenuity and a deep respect for Ali Milles’ original material. A theatrical must see.

Don’t miss The Croft at the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th July. Secure your tickets now for a theatrical experience that’s as chilling as it is moving. Tickets are available via everymanplayhouse.com/event/the-croft.

Steve Kinrade