honeymoon enchantress

Thursday Theatre presents a supernatural thriller with a sharply sardonic edge in the tradition of Ira Levin and Stephen King.

Written by crime novelist and Doctor Who script editor Andrew Cartmel, Honeymoon Enchantress weaves a darkly comic spell. When idealistic young American lawyer Bobby (Barnaby Jago) surprises everyone by bringing home his new bride, his affluent and complacent family find themselves facing the terrifying question of whether witchcraft is real — and if they’re victims of a highly accomplished practitioner. Does Eve (Freya Thomas) really have dangerous occults powers, or is it only in the twisted imagination of Holly (Kelsey Short), the family’s fanatical Bible Belt nanny?

Whatever the truth may be, murder — by means both natural and supernatural — is soon on the cards. Bobby’s sister Ruth (Freya Alderson) and his mother Marietta (Ceejay Sargent) are swept up in the rapidly moving events. Only his father Frank (James Vaughan), a brilliant academic, has a chance of working out what is really going on. But when he does, it’s already too late… 

Directed by Jenny Eastop (Best Director 2024, London Pub Theatres), produced by Freya Alderson (finalist in the BAFTA Rocliffe 2021 new writing competition) and featuring original music by the distinguished film composer Joe Kraemer (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then Bigfoot).

Freya Alderson trained at Drama Studio London. Theatre includes Sh!tfaced Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Edinburgh Fringe), Dressing Gown (The Tabard), Baby Mine (Seven Dials Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (New Wimbledon Theatre) and The Ring Trilogy at the Royal Opera House.

Ceejay Sargent trained at Drama Studio London and her theatre work includes Sherlock Holmes (Kings Head), The House of Bernarda Alba (Theatre Royal Bath), The Country (Battersea Arts Centre).

James Vaughan trained at Drama Centre London. Theatre includes Around the World (Mint Theatre, New York), Great Expectations (Vaudeville Theatre), Buddy (Victoria Palace), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui  (Liverpool Everyman), Romeo and Juliet (UK and European Tour), The Idiot (Contact Theatre Manchester).

Freya Thomas trained at East15 and graduated in 2023. Her theatre work includes Meghan and Harry: Outspoken (Lumbago Theatre Company at The White Bear).

Barnaby Jago trained at ArtsEd. His work in the theatre includes Dead End (Shipwreck), Passing Tales and Checkmate (English Theatre Company). He has recently completed an extensive UK tour of The Mousetrap.

 Kelsey Short trained at Rose Bruford. Her theatre work includes playing Hedda in Hedda Gabler (Fish Don’t Matter), The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience (Layered Reality), Jane in Jane Eyre (Blackeyed Theatre), As Real As Anything (Thursday Theatre).