Ghosts – Henrik Ibsen adapted by Mike Poulton

May 6, 2019August 22, 2023 BCP-Media-Team

Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen adapted by Mike Poulton was performed at The Mill Arts Centre Theatre 10-13 July 2019.
Directed by John McCormick, the Cast is as follows:

Jacob Engstrand – Anthony Collier
Mrs. Helen Alving – Hilary Beaton
Pastor Manders – Phillip Croxson
Osvald Alving – Ben Harwood
Regina Engstrand – Katy Roberts

Great drama is more often than not about relationships and Ghosts, a powerful and shocking drama by Henrik Ibsen is a great drama, a classic about the relationship between Helen Alving and her son Oswald. It’s also about the relationship between Regina and her father, Engstrand, and between Helen and Pastor Manders, who have been close acquaintances for a long time. The story is also about all of their relationships with Captain Alving who doesn’t even appear in the play but casts a long shadow over it. All of these relationships have had actions within them long ago that have consequences through violence, betrayal and deceit and therefore they create ghosts and those ghosts from the past have a significant impact over all of the characters now.

Ghosts is a powerful, shocking drama, even more so given that fact that it was written in the 1880s making Ibsen the Godfather of the great Norse dramatic storytelling line that continues today with the modern BBC4 Nordic drama phenomena. Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts is the original Scandi-noir.

This adaption by Mike Poulton brings the story up to date and therefore more relevant to a young audience reflected in the stage set and costumes.