★★★★★

“A breathtaking new adaptation that should not be missed”

As Gary Owen mentions, adapting a classic play is a challenging process. Numerous things need to be considered, the time the play was originally written, the audience the specific production is destined for, to change or not to change significant plot points and if you do, how far can you take it. A classic play, like Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts originally written in 1881, has survived through time for a reason and some adapters are hesitant to tamper with that. This production, adapted by Owen and skilfully directed by Rachel O’Riordan, is the perfect example that sometimes, when you do decide to make bold changes, it can have the best result imaginable.

Helena decides to use her and her late husband’s money to build a new children’s hospital, which is about to open. But when certain accusations come out regarding his behaviour, rumours start to spread and the trustees feel the need to separate themselves from him. And when Helena’s son, Oz, visits the family home and gets involved with his childhood friend Reggie, dark secrets that have been kept hidden creep out and Helena needs to face the true legacy her late husband has left her.

The whole cast do much more than pull their weight. Their commitment, vast emotional range and easiness in finding the essence of each role elevate the story. In Helena, Victoria Smurfit, we see a survivor, a strong but also broken woman who tries to protect her son from the truth at all costs. The facade of the goddess, always in control and untouchable, gives way to trauma and pain, in a most natural and heartbroken manner. Patricia Allison (Reggie), Rhashan Stone (Andersen) and Deka Walmsley (Jacob) help develop the concept of duality throughout the show, showing that the truth always has two versions and that being rich and poor is essentially two sides of the same coin. Callum Scott Howells as the tortured and lost son Oz is the highlight of the evening. His complicated relationship with his parents has created a sweet self consciousness, a need to be accepted and loved exactly as he is. He is aware that something is rotten in this family and holds on to it tight. That is the only way he knows how to exist: in the shadow of what came before him, because that’s often easier than forging a path of one’s own.

Ghosts is a marvellous continuation in Owen and O’Riordan’s already existing series of collaborations. The text takes us on a rollercoaster ride with its wit, depth, twists and play between absolute horror and tender sympathy. Under a direction that focuses on raw action and reaction in a powerful and modern context, a lot of the original play’s traits change. But the theme of the past and the trouble of the young when carrying the burden of what came before them is still there, resonating in a time when history seems to be dangerously close to repeating itself.

Commendation needs to be given to the set design (Merle Hensel). A borderline claustrophobic and unnaturally simple living room with pictures of a man’s back of the head from different angles plastered all over the walls give us the sense that this isn’t a home and never has been. The man on the black and white pictures could be the deceased father himself, out of Helena and Oz’s life, but still very much a presence that impacts them. Sound design and music (Donato Wharton and Simon Slater) are sharp, uncomfortable, perfectly complementing the darkness and shocking revelations the characters are faced with.

A breathtaking new adaptation that should not be missed, Ghosts demonstrates how classics can work spectacularly for different times and ages without any compromise.

HEISENBERG

Arcola Theatre

★★★

“this show reminds us how true connection can come in many forms”

Longing, vulnerability, alienation, second chances. As time passes, we are forced to take a look at our lives and reflect on the people we’ve lost, our career, who we are. Simon Stephens’ play Heisenberg, through a touching story of finding connection when you least expect it, captures the whole spectrum of human interaction, giving us poignant language along with witty banter.

Alex (Jenny Galloway), a 75-year old woman, receives an unexpected kiss on the neck from Georgie (Faline England), a bubbly American who can’t stop swearing. They start talking, or to be more accurate Georgie starts talking, firstly about herself and then trying to figure out Alex’s character by bombarding her with questions and assumptions, while Alex wants to find a way out of this conversation. A few days later, Georgie shows up at Alex’s shop and before long, a peculiar connection has formed which brings chaotic Georgie and quiet Alex closer and closer. Till Georgie asks for a favour that makes Alex question whether it’s all been fabricated or genuine.

Heisenberg is a production that creeps up on you. Awkwardness and wariness give way to authentic moments of vulnerable melancholy, side by side with hilarious one-liners. Light and dark come together in a blend that is familiar if you know Stephens’ work and writing style. The way director Katharine Farmer has handled the text, interchanging between letting the text lead the way, like a beautiful literary interval, and letting the characters shine through, is very interesting. Of course we need to appreciate the words, savour them, pay attention to them, but in a piece of theatre, the live spontaneity and action of the characters should be the focus, even in moments of wordy pondering or reminiscing. That would also help with the pacing, which feels like it’s dragging at times, the sharpness of the smart comebacks and comedic lines often suffering because of that.

The contrast between the two characters is distinct, created by two skilful and obviously experienced actors. Changing Alex’s sex from man to woman is a choice that alters the dynamic between Alex and Georgie and the impact the play has on the audience. The relationship between our two characters feels more tender, more equal, more focused on companionship. On the other hand, there is a general lack of spark and intrigue. It’s like sailing steadily in very calm waters, without any sort of fluctuation of the waves or the weather to make things more interesting and add a level of risk. Overall, it’s a choice that provides a new perspective onto the relationship, but not in a particularly successful way in the long run of the play.

Lighting designer Rajiv Pattani did not hold back and really stressed the journey’s turning points and mood changes smoothly and skilfully. Moreover, lighting assisted with the lack of any actual set, filling a stage that was left plainly bare (except for two chairs). Sound design (Hugh Sheehan) also came to the rescue, giving us clear locations by providing background noise when necessary. It’s quite an intimate stage, but still it’d be interesting to see the kind of set experimentation that could emerge to surround the actors.

Alex shares how the older she gets, the more she realises how brief life really is. And this show reminds us how true connection can come in many forms, even between people who seem like they have nothing in common. Heisenberg deals with themes that are universal and makes the passing of time, the briefness and vastness of life, feel a little less lonely.

GHOSTS

Lyric Hammersmith

★★★★★

“A breathtaking new adaptation that should not be missed”

GHOSTS

Lyric Hammersmith

Reviewed on 16th April 2025

by Stephanie Christodoulidou

Photography by Helen Murray

Previously reviewed at this venue:

GHOSTS

GHOSTS

GHOSTS

HEISENBERG

Arcola Theatre

★★★

“this show reminds us how true connection can come in many forms”

HEISENBERG

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 14th April 2025

by Stephanie Christodoulidou

Photography by Charlie Flint

Previously reviewed at this venue:

HEISENBERG

HEISENBERG

HEISENBERG