It’s been ages since I reviewed an anthology, so with my affection for creepy compendiums and Halloween all ready to pounce, I cackled like a witch and got to it. With nine shorts rolled into one, Sinphony: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology is a deal for any serious disciple of the compilation. Averaging ten minutes each, there’s something for even the non-devotee here, I’d wager.

Created on the audio-only social app Clubhouse (which I confess to never having heard of before), these are each written and directed by a single filmmaker; only The Keeper is excepted, alongside the wraparound Symphony of Horror. Written and directed by Sebastien Bazile & Michael Galvan, this begins with the birth of a demonic baby, setting up a theme that’s loose enough to still allow each filmmaker their own voice. An intense midwife sings to the child; a creepy song appearing in several of the other stories, its style varying for each. As with the demonic child theme, this is infrequent enough to be more of a subtle aside, rather than an overly-predictable recurrence.

In Mother Love by Jason Ragosta, a lone mum guards her toddler when a serial killer intrudes. However, as she’s a witch on a group chat with her coven, things take a twist the killer isn’t expecting. Steven Keller’s Ear Worm shows what happens when dad and son environmental protection partners take on more than they bargained for when a fungus fights back. Writer/director Haley Bishop is the picture of a one-woman show as the star of her segment Forever Young, that of a woman turned 16 again at a party where everyone’s being tiresomely adult. As with several of the other segments, it twinkles with dark humour.

An unhappy couple and a young boy check into a room in a boarding house in The Keeper (directed by Wes Driver; screenplay by Greg Greene). The kindly proprietor takes pity on the woman, seemingly abused by her irascible companion, while the lad remains silently mournful. Being the kind of story it is, things aren’t, of course, that simple. At the risk of a spoiler I’ll say no more, except this is one of several occasions there’s a link between tales. Mark A. Pritchard’s Limited Edition combines a classic car, its new owner, and a mysterious stranger with an unusual attraction to the vehicle. When the flattered new owner takes her for a spin, the true nature of the stranger’s interest is revealed; but anything can happen in a moment…

In Do Us Part? by Kimberley Elizabeth, we see a woman desperate to be heard and seen. Ignored by AI assistant ‘Alexis’ (nice touch, that) as well as her own partner, it’s clear she feels isolated and invisible. Barely even there, in fact. Despite appearances this has quite a positive vibe, though some may feel it’s a too open to interpretation. Jason Wilkinson’s Tabitha is compelling yet ambiguous to a degree. A woman badly injured in the course of committing a crime for the good of a loved one is trapped in a car by a ghastly entity. As her life ebbs away and her chance of salvation dwindles, will the choice she made for what seemed like the right reason have been worth it in the end?

Maternally Damned is Nichole Carlson’s intriguing take on childhood trauma and how the effects continuing into adulthood can present themselves, before Sinphony: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology brings the 88 minutes to a tidy final wrap. There’s little time for the creators to go deep with character and plot development, though neither the individual nor overall results suffer. Consistently solid and well-acted, Sinphony: A Clubhouse Horror Anthology is value variety to munch on for sure.

8 out of 10 Teeny Treasure Troves