A world premiere stage adaptation of The Turn of the Screw by Olivier Award winner Morgan Lloyd Malcolm will open at Arcola Theatre in autumn 2026.
Presented by Arcola Theatre and Blackeyed Theatre, the production is directed by Nicky Allpress and will run from 11 September to 10 October, with press night on 14 September at 7pm. A six‑month UK tour will follow, with full casting to be announced.
Director Nicky Allpress said, “I read The Turn of the Screw as a teenager and have been haunted by the story ever since, so when Blackeyed Theatre offered me the opportunity to work with them again, I was thrilled. To have the chance to bring it to life at the Arcola with the wonderful Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, an artist I’ve hoped to collaborate with for some time, is so exciting. It’s mysterious, unnervingly spooky, and we can’t wait to give audiences a chilling evening of entertainment.”
The play follows a young governess who arrives at a remote country house to care for two children, only to find herself confronted by the possibility of malevolent spirits. As her fear grows, so does the question at the heart of the story: are the ghosts real, or a projection of something far more terrifying?
Morgan Lloyd Malcolm said, “I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to adapt this gothic classic. It has all the makings of a perfect ghost story (creepy children, huge strange house, the legacies of previous occupants) and yet it plays with ambiguity and we’re never sure of what is really happening. It’s an exciting tale to tell and I am particularly excited to be working with Nicky and everyone at Blackeyed Theatre and the Arcola on it. Horror in theatre is one of my greatest joys because there is nothing better than a well-told story in the dark, and this is one of the all-time greats.”
The Turn of the Screw is considered one of the most enduring works of psychological suspense and later inspired Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black. This new adaptation aims to bring fresh theatrical energy to the iconic tale.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
