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Ghosts
Ghosts
Bolton Octagon
October 30, 2009
DAVID Thacker, the Octagon’s new artistic director, has kicked off his reign with two of his party pieces. First it was an Arthur Miller and now it’s Ibsen’s Ghosts, which he famously directed starring Vanessa Redgrave.
Miller was greatly influenced by the great Norwegian’s ideas, and to underline the thread, Thacker has cast four of the principle actors in both productions.
This highly idiomatic new translation, with major contributions from the cast and director, sets it somewhere in Lancashire, still late nineteenth century.
The playing style goes for the laid back, low-key, conversational, in the first act, as the plot is being set, before the conflagration erupts.
The problem is that despite claims that the play is still a tract for today, it isn’t.
It is of historical interest but has dated beyond present day relevance, impossible really to surmount the script’s melodrama and make it believable, despite this being a very good try.
Until November 21, 2009.
Reviewed: Mon, 02 November, 2009
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Reviews (1)
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ecbian
05/11/09 14:42
An enthraling performance by a top rate cast makes this play speak to the modern world despite its age.
Seen as a companion piece to the previous Octogon production of All My Sons the continued theme of family secrets hidden for years coming back to "haunt" future generations is brought to the stage with the skill one might expect from David Thacker.
Great performances all round but special mention for Oscar Pearce who once again wrings the emotions out of the role of Oswald without ever becoming cloying.
Another "must see" production
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