“Ghosts”

[rating=3]It is difficult to adapt a classic play for young audiences, and when that play is Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece “Ghosts”, it might seem impossible. A tip of my winter (brr it got cold) hat to Erin Murray on her new 100 minute version of this tale, now on the intimate stage of a Redtwist Theatre on Bryn Mawr. Those of you who know the space, know that it is the epitome of the “storefront” and for many of their productions, audience members feel as if they were in the play. After all, they are onstage.

Due to the size of the staging area ( I prefer this over stage, since there is no stage), Lauren Nichols has a minimal set, but we certainly do get the feel of a large house with a “dining room” that will leave a lasting impression, as well as an orphanage on the property that will hold deep meaning late in the play. The story is about a woman, Helen Alving ( another glorious performance by Jacqueline Grandt) who is preparing her affirmation of her late husband’s legacy. Part of this process is to bury her long-festering secrets and to clear her mind from all that has haunted her over the years.

In this production, carefully adapted by Murray, we get more of a feeling of the pain that has haunted Helen over the years. In order not to spoil any surprises ( if you have never read or seen the original), I will tread lightly with the little stories that are contained within the rest of the story. Helen has a son, Oswald ( played with great spirit by Devon Nimerfroh), an artist, who is deeply in love with her mothers servant, Regina ( a delightful performance by Sophie Hoyt), who as we learn is part of another well -kept secret.

Rounding out the cast of players are Jacob, Regina’s good-for-nothing father ( Lionel Gentle) and the local pastor, Pastor Manders ( a solid performance by James Sparling). The problem that I found with this production is the heavy use of English accents. If we are to modernize and adapt a play where the action is on “an island” why does it have to be “British”? Why not have the “island” be where people speak with no accent at all, making the words more understandable. That is one of the huge problems with these adaptations. The other slight problem with this show is that some of the characters do not project to the last row, making some of the important dialogue hard to hear.

Regina and her father have a blazing scene that opens up their relationship and the Regina Oswald relationship is also one to take notice of. All of these characters and inner stories do intertwine with Ibsen’s main idea and I do believe that the new adaptation is strong. It may mellow with age and become one that will be remembered even more than the original.

This version of the play is much more moralistic than Ibsen’s version. It is also about white women versus women of color and what can happen to a family when the matriarch does his thing neglecting those who may be left to pay the price in the future. We are also asked if it is possible to face those secrets in our lives when our backs are to the wall. Can we? Can Helen? You can find out through December 10th at Redtwist Theatre located at 1036 Bryn Mawr in Chicago. The performance schedule is as follows:

Thursdays  7:30 p.m.

Fridays  7:30 p.m.

Saturdays 7:30 p.m.

Sundays  3 p.m.

Tickets ( open seating) range from $35-$4  seniors and students save $5

Call 773-728-7529 or visit http://www.redtwist.org

There are only 60 seats for this show, so do not hesitate to book yours right away.

parking is street and I always suggest using the Red Line ( Bryn Mawr and walk a block)

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Ghosts”