Secrets and lies unravel a family in the Evangeline Players' production of Henrik Ibsen's classic drama, Ghosts.
The play centers on Helen Alving, a tough-minded woman who's been holding her family and estate together since her husband's death a decade prior. In his honor, she's opening an orphanage with assistance from lifelong friend (and maybe former romantic interest) Rev. Manders. Her son, Oswald, has returned from living in Paris, and he
has his eye on Regina, the Alving's maid. Also in the mix is Regina's father, Engstrand, who's a drunk of questionable responsibility.
The dramatic heart of Ghosts is the unearthing of long-held family secrets -- particularly secrets about the dead Captain Alving -- and these secrets, once revealed, threaten to destroy the family forever. By the play's end, all the family's illusions of propriety and respectability are stripped away, and they're left to deal with the rotted and diseased reality underneath.
The adaptation by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson is a brisk, if sometimes plodding, take on Ibsen's original. His lines are, for the most part, easy on the ears -- there are a few moments, however, of anachronistic slang that stick out like sore thumbs -- and the play's three acts move at a rapid clip. Unfortunately, some stretches of the play feel dramatically inert, and although the play's construction is tight, the brevity sometimes makes the play feel thin and undernourished.
Script quibbles aside, the play's in the very capable hands of director Charlee Halphen-Swain, who does a commendable job navigating Ibsen's murky family drama. The show is fast, smart, concise and thoughtful, and she's done a terrific job keeping the show on its toes. This show is a tough sell, especially in our corner of the
country, but Halphen-Swain delivers a production that's clear and accessible.
Ghosts is also a tough play for actors, but the cast here is more than eager to meet its challenges head-on. As Engstrand, Paul David lends the show some levity, landing a handful of the show's better punch lines. As Regina, Elizabeth Hunt reveals layers of sensuality, vulnerability and steely determination. And as Oswald, Devin Capritto
does a nice job capturing the frustrated spirit of a young man attempting to step into the shoes of adulthood.
Heath Swain delivers some very fine work as Rev. Manders, the play's moralistic center. Manders is a man of unwavering principle, and Swain communicates that nicely. His is a grounded and believable performance.
The show's best asset, however, is Amanda Newberry's Helen Alving. Newberry breathes the most life into the show's dense language, and hers is the most commanding and confident performance. She's in turns
flirty, ferocious and vulnerable, and her final scene with Oswald is the show's most affecting stretch. Newberry owns this role and this show. It's a performance worth seeing.
The show's got a game cast and an able director, but Ghosts doesn't quite pack the emotional punch it should. The wounds that are inflicted on the Alvings and those surrounding them only graze the skin when they should cut to the bone. And while the show fires on all its intellectual cylinders, it doesn't always hit us in the gut the way a good drama should.
The show, however, is still worth seeing, and the Evangeline Players should be commended for tackling this unorthodox choice. Bravery counts for a lot, and this company bravely stands up to the imposing and challenging Ghosts.
---Cody Daigle
Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, adaptation by Lanford Wilson
Directed by Charlee Halphen-Swain
Produced by Evangeline Players
Through Oct. 24. For info, call 394-6604.
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