Review: Ibsen's GHOSTS at ArtsWest: A Haunting Triumph

Henrik Ibsen's lesser-known drama "Ghosts" should be just as prolific as "A Doll's House." This 19th-century societal criticism is one to check off your classical theater bucket list, and Richard Eyre's masterful adaptation at ArtsWest is impressively close to the original. On top of casting two theatrical powerhouses--Suzanna Bouchard and Noah Racey--ArtsWest's current production is one that would make Ibsen himself stand and applaud.

Henrik Ibsen made sure to check off every subject on Victorian society's proverbial "do not discuss" list in "Ghosts". This includes, but is not limited to, incest, venereal disease, heresy, euthanasia, and alcohol abuse. Believe it or not, this production originally was not too well received in 1882.

I'll try and unpack this tragedy-saturated plot without spoiling anything. Helene Alving (Suzanna Bouchard) collaborates with Paster Manders to build an orphanage commemorating her late husband. It does not take long for the two of them to squabble. This will be the first of many arguments throughout the production. In truth, tonally, everyone remains upset from start to finish. What varies are levels of intensity and how much alcohol the character has consumed. Everyone constantly fights: Helene and her son, Oswald (John Coons); Helene and Paster Manders (Noah Racey); Paster Manders and Oswald; Oswald and Helene's maid, Regina (Sophia Franzella); Regina and Paster Manders...you get the picture. Yes, I'm being very vague, but there are so many twists and plot points that to get any more detailed would ruin the story. But, as you will recall, the story does involve a bunch of societal taboos, and they are not taken lightly.

This town consists of individuals suffering from a myriad of tasteless cosmic jokes woven into the fabric of their fate. What haunts Helene more than the ghost of her late husband are the societal mores dictating and disparaging her every move as an unmarried woman. Unfortunately for her, even with the death of her despicable husband, she can never be truly free to live a life on her own terms. Neither can Oswald. Neither can Regina. Neither can Paster Manders.

Richard Eyre's adaptation let the characters be the stars. Bouchard is a treasure as the strong-willed Helene, constantly swallowing her pride just to keep up appearances. The climax of this show felt so earned, and it was all thanks to her commitment to bottling up her feelings. Even during major confessional moments, you could still feel her biting her tongue and withholding her true feelings. To be paired with Noah Racey's performance as Paster Manders, who masterfully incorporates enough even-temperedness to make his hypocrisy that much more devastating for Helene. Racey perfectly manifested Manders as literally holier-than-thou during a time when Helene really needed an influential ally.

I wish that Sophia Franzella's fresh, flirty Regina had more tangible attraction with John Coons' bohemian Oswald--and vice versa--considering the stakes of their relationship. Neither reads as being irresistible to the other, which feels incongruous with the plot. But both Franzella's Regina and Coons' Oswald have powerful moments near the end.

ArtsWest time and time again incorporates so much care into transporting an audience into a physical world, and "Ghosts" is no exception. Scenic designer Shawn Ketchum Johnson created a room that felt very much like one found in a 19th-century Tudor. The furniture feels simultaneously expensive and uncomfortable. Johnson masterfully makes the space feel both dreary and extravagant, accompanied by grey, unforgiving lighting by Alyssa Milione. There were a couple of seemingly out-of-place artistic choices made with the lighting that felt incongruous with the hyper-realistic physical world, but a couple of weird spotlights here and there are forgivable when a play is this engrossing.

For this example of classic theater performed with classic aplomb, I give ArtsWest's masterful "Ghosts" 4.5/5 stars. It will chill you to the bone.

"Ghosts" performs at ArtsWest through October 16th, 2016. For tickets and information, visit them online at www.artswest.org.

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