The Turn of the Screw tickets
London Coliseum
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Find EventsThe Turn of the Screw
Benjamin Britten
With its dark, evocative score, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw is one of the most unnerving of all operas. Told in flashback from a psychiatric ward, a young governess is terrorised by unseen forces in a remote country house. The setting is Brontëesque, but the menace is pure Hitchcock.
The story
A young, inexperienced governess is invited to a bleak country house, home to two orphaned children, both deeply troubled, possibly possessed. Her anxiety mounts. There are strangled cries in the night, a figure on the tower, a face at the window. But are they just figments of her imagination, or malign presences threatening the charges in her care? She can’t be sure – and nor can we – as the tension builds towards a nerve-shredding climax.
The score
Britten’s innovative score is a masterpiece of twentieth century opera. With 13 virtuosic instruments, this most eminent British opera composer creates an eerie palette of orchestral colours, with both acts divided into 8 scenes. A ‘screw’ theme connects all the interludes and this tightens in intensity as the mood grows darker and darker. Particularly effective is the opera’s use of nursery rhymes to raise the tension – a technique adopted by many horror films.
- Address
London Coliseum, 33 St Martin's Lane, Westminster, London, WC2N 4ES
- Cancellation Policy
No exchanges or refunds.
- Duration
Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes, including one interval.
- Good To Know
Our cloakroom fee is £2 per item, whether it’s a bag or a coat. We can accommodate small bags, coats, and other small items. We class a small bag as standard rucksack size or smaller or a standard handbag. Our cloakroom opens 75 minutes before the performance. It remains open for 30 minutes following the show
Latecomers - if you are late, you will be able to view the performance on a TV monitor whilst our staff wait for an appropriate point in the performance to allow you to enter the auditorium and take your seat. Our staff will try to do this as early as they can within the performance but this isn’t always possible and in some cases you may be asked to wait until the interval.
- Suitable For Children
No Under 5s – unless specifically stated otherwise
Children under the age of 16 must be seated with an adult/someone over 18. The adult cannot be sitting separately.
London Coliseum
London Coliseum, 33 St Martin's Lane, Westminster, London, WC2N 4ES
