๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
Jewish Telegraph online, May 2026
Mike Cohen enters the twisted minds of Dyson and Nyman as The Psychic opens at York Theatre Royal
JEREMY Dyson and Andy Nyman are both such sweet guys to speak to. But when they work together, some sort of osmosis takes place and they create dark yet comedic work.
The signs were all there when you think that Leeds-born Jeremy was one of The League of Gentleman, creating truly grotesque (yet hilarious) characters with Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith.
He is also a great author. His book of short stories, Never Trust a Rabbit, is one of my favourites. And just last year, he wrote The Warlock Effect with Andy.
Andy, who hails from Leicester, has also shown how twisted he can be with some of the psychological stunts he helped illusionist Derren Brown create, like Russian roulette and a sรฉance.
So put the two of them together and you are guaranteed to get something that will raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
The pair, who met in 1981 at a Chai summer school, have already worked their magic once with Ghost Stories, which scared hundreds of people nightly before becoming a hit film.
And now comes The Psychic. Andy has taken seven weeks off from his day job โ playing Max Bialystock in The Producers at Londonโs Garrick Theatre โ to launch The Psychic in York.
At this point, you may be saying โless waffle and tell us about the plotโ, but that is the problem. You canโt really describe the plot without giving away the many twists and turns.
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The review would end up more redacted than the Epstein files, so hereโs a very basic description. โPsychicโ Sheila Gold has just lost a huge court case where she had been accused of being a fake. To try to make the money back, she heads out on tour. But when she is approached by a rich couple who want to get in touch with their deceased daughter, she sees a chance to end her money woes.
Sheila is a bad-tempered, sweary, pill-popping, whisky-swilling and in ill health, so what could possibly go wrong?
As itโs Dyson and Nyman, you know it is not going to be straightforward. But a word of advice, donโt try to second guess the twists. Even M Night Shyamalan wouldnโt see them coming. It goes off in so many unexpected ways. In fact the less you know, the more you will enjoy it.
While itโs not particularly scary, there are some pretty tense moments where you could hear the whole audience holding their breath and there are a few jump scares.
The casting director deserves a lot of praise. Itโs only a small cast but every person is perfect for the role. Eileen Walsh as Sheila and Frances Barber as Rosa deliver masterclasses in acting. Their delivery of lines and nuances are top drawer. But you also have to give plaudits to relative newcomer Megan Placito, making her stage debut as Sheilaโs niece Tara, who wants to learn THE SCAM (youโll understand why that is in capitals when you see it).
Megan is superb in one of the standout scenes with Frances. Although, obviously, I canโt talk about the scene without giving too much away.
Jaz Singh Deol and Nikhita Lesler as grieving couple Deepak and Nisha, and Dave Hearn as radio DJ Robert Hamm, who wants to destroy Sheila, all play their part in creating the right atmosphere.
But as I said to Andy after the show, the real star is the set design. While not wanting to offend York Theatre Royal, which is a beautiful venue, you would not expect a set like this in regional theatre.
The set in the second act is just superb and it makes you think that with that amount of money thrown at it, a London transfer must be on the cards after this short run.
This is a West End show in quality of writing, acting, direction, set and sound design, yet being performed in North Yorkshire.
In fact, you donโt have to be clairvoyant to see The Psychic has a bright future.
The Psychic runs at York Theatre Royal until May 23.
