Review: Ghosts (Jermyn Street Theatre)
Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spooky season is officially upon us, and while the West End has a smattering of horror-adjacent productions to chill your bones, one of London's hidden gems is offering its own Halloween treat with a new production of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts haunting Jermyn Street Theatre. Admittedly unrelated to anything spooky aside from the obvious title, would this latest offering prove terrifyingly good or have audiences screaming for the wrong reason?
First published in 1881 and staged the following year, Ibsen’s Ghosts is set in Norway around the same time as mother Helene is reunited with her son Oswald, who has returned to the family home in time to see the grand opening of an orphanage that is commemorating the tenth anniversary of his father’s death. Their long-awaited reunion isn’t as smooth as hoped, with long-buried secrets emerging, threatening to have devastating consequences that will change both of their lives forever.
In the centuries since, Ibsen’s story has proved to be an enduring classic, enjoying countless revivals and adaptations, including a London production at Lyric Hammersmith last year in a new adaptation that opted to contemporise the story. For this latest version, Richard Eyre has opted not to rock the boat too much, opting to retain the original essence of the story and keep it in its original setting. The original production courted controversy for its heavy themes, including incest, disease and euthanasia - it is fair to say what seemed taboo back then is much more heavily discussed these days, eradicating the initial shock value. However, that does not take away from the impact of these themes in relation to the play. Eyre’s adaptation is firmly in sync with Ibsen’s original, finding ways to heighten the emotional intensity, particularly of the relationship between Helene and Oswald.
Perhaps this production got off to a slightly sluggish start, but things still picked up, leading to a pacey ninety minutes where the action zips through, roaring to its conclusion. I would argue that by shaving some time off the original story, we do lose some of the gravitas around the heavier moments. This is felt mostly at the end - though still impactful, the sudden conclusion feels as if it might have benefited from having some time to breathe. That said, the gradual increase in pace does work in its favour for the most part, though an extra 5 or so minutes to let some of those more crucial moments sink in wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Director Kwame Owusu does a stellar job of bringing the story to life, making full use of the intimacy of Jermyn Street Theatre. This extreme close proximity to the cast also goes some way to heighten the intensity, allowing for a full connection to the story, even at moments that might feel uncomfortably close. What is especially impressive about Owusu’s direction is the ability to make the space feel much grander than it is while simultaneously honing in on this intimacy. It is very much a case of the best of both worlds, encouraging audiences to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps while employing some inspired choices himself. Focusing mostly on the cast as storytellers, the gradual increase in intensity works in his favour, culminating in an almighty payoff in a production that gets better as it progresses.
Ghosts boasts a strong cast of five to bring Ibsen’s characters to life, with Peter F. Gardner seldom seen but more than memorable in his appearances as Jacob Engstrand, and Cecilia Appiah brilliantly unravelling as Regina Engstrand in an initially restrained characterisation that slowly reveals more depth and diversity in a complex character that is wonderfully realised. Oliver Alvin-Wilson gives a captivating performance as Pastor Manders, occasionally intense though still playing these larger aspects of his character development in a subtle and understated manner.
Joe Pitts is utterly compelling as Oswald Alving, arriving with full confidence in a cocksure portrayal before spiralling into something else entirely. Pitts amazes with his ability to tap into the character's conflicting aspects, with the final portion of the play demonstrating him at his best. Eliciting sympathy while carrying an air of mystery, Pitts showcases versatility through his flirtatious relationship with Appiah’s Regina and the changeable nature of his relationship with his mother. It is Flora Montgomery who dominates this production as Helene Alving, Oswald’s mother, in a spellbinding performance that continued to become more impressive, even when you thought she could get no better. The anguish of the secrets Helene has had to keep and the dilemma the character has to face now they are out in the open are wonderfully demonstrated in a performance bursting with believability. Helene is put to the test in the second half of the play, and Montgomery more than rises to the occasion in an absolutely outstanding performance.
In comparison to last year’s adaptation of Ghosts, Richard Eyre’s take may play more on the safe side, but that doesn’t make it any less thrilling. Though it gets off to a slow and occasionally shaky start, it comes into its own very quickly, making for an intense and occasionally uncomfortable watch, using the intimacy of Jermyn Street Theatre for all of its strengths. Bolstered by some stunning performances, notably from Pitts and Montgomery, this is a riveting watch that once again showcases why Ibsen’s work still has the capacity to produce shock and awe in the 21st century. If the idea behind Ghosts is that people walk the world again once their life is over, this production is another great example of that, giving further life to Ibsen whose impact on theatre remains every bit as vital now as it did when he initially walked this Earth.
Ghosts plays at Jermyn Street Theatre until 14th November. Tickets from https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/ghosts/
Photos by David Monteith-Hodge