The Croft - UK Tour Review

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Tue 27 May 2025 - Sat 05 Jul 2025

Ghost story The Croft has been tempting audiences in with its spooky promotional imagery of Liza Goddard staring out menacingly and an air of mystery about the plot. It first surfaced before the pandemic, which halted the supernatural thriller - but now it's back.

I caught The Croft at Malvern Theatres during its latest UK tour. It stays in Malvern until Saturday May 31 before moving on to venues that include Birmingham Rep in June. There's also Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Liverpool Playhouse, Bromley's Churchill Theatre and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford until early July - all dates are below.

Set in the Scottish Highlands, this creepy tale is based on a true story and opens with young woman Laura taking her new lover to stay at the run-down family cabin in Coillie Ghille. It's a former crofter's hut and despite its isolation, they soon get an unexpected caller of the local gamekeeper, David.



David, played by Gray O'Brien pictured above, knows Laura from years gone by and there's obviously much left unsaid. You soon realise there's lots to piece together from the many snatches of conversation that keep a decent level of intrigue, particularly before the interval.

This thriller by Ali Milles - brought to stage by Original Theatre - jumps back and forth to various timelines quite a bit and it quickly emerges that this plot involves secrets from the past.

It's easy enough to follow, but don't expect to be too scared. It's more of a family and relationship drama with some twists thrown in, rather than a terrifying tale that will stop you sleeping at night.

There's a sturdy cast of familiar and new faces. Probably the most famous is Goddard, pictured below, with her long acting career on stage and TV, fondly remembered for Bergerac. Alongside her are other stage regulars, former Coronation Street star O’Brien and Caroline Harker, who has been in everything from Slow Horses to the original version of Jilly Cooper's Riders.



As O'Brien is Scottish, he adds authenticity to the play with his genuine accent. Known for playing villain Tony Gordon in Coronation Street, it keeps you guessing whether his character is one to be trusted or not.

As accents go, Liza Goddard doesn't do too badly either, but apparently she had asked O'Brien for help. Goddard has been acting on stage since she was a child and has a natural presence, ideal for her chilling role.

It's Harker, playing Laura's new love, Suzanne, who is the most vibrant on stage. Playing a married woman whose head has been turned by the young nanny, she is believable in her reactions to the remote, strange goings-on, especially the more she finds out. No wonder she's always looking for the next glass of wine.



There's a decent amount of tension, although the momentum slows down after the interval and feels drawn out towards the end. Laura, played by relative newcomer Gracie Follows, pictured above, is captivating as the lead, but the final scenes leave a somewhat ambiguous ending.

There's a lot to like about The Croft as an intriguing, easy watch and mellow ghost story. There's also a strong cast and stage design to keep your attention throughout, but the finale left me with more questions than answers.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars



The Croft UK Tour Dates

For ticket information and bookings, visit The Croft tour website here

Malvern Theatre
27 - 31 May

Churchill Theatre, Bromley
3 - 7 June

Birmingham Rep
10 - 14 June

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
17 - 21 June

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
25 - 28 June

Liverpool Playhouse
1 - 5 July

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