Review: THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, Southwark Playhouse

The Canterville Ghost is Oscar Wilde's short novella of an American family moving into a British mansion, to the annoyance of its resident ghost. The family refuses to be scared by him, grinding him down until the ghost admits he just wants eternal peace from the accusation that he murdered his wife.

Tall Stories, as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, have adapted the original story and given the tale a quirky treatment by intertwining the narrative with that of four Victorian music hall entertainers. A compere, an illusionist, a psychic and a ventriloquist all perform their own acts and tell their own story in between performing six snippets of Wilde's.

It's an ambitious premise that, for the most part, works, although there are times when the story of the ghost feels lost in the midst of the other entertainment. It's a hectic piece for the actors to perform, but director Olivia Jacobs does well to keep the pace and the energy going.

There is also a lot of skill on display here from the quartet of actors. Callum Patrick Hughes performs some deft sleight of hand as the illusionist, but is more at home with the comedy of the overdramatic housekeeper and the aristocratic ghost.

Matt Jopling has very good comic timing and does a great job handling naughty puppet Eddie; a pre-show warning about 'puppet profanity' is instantly intriguing and Jopling's act is a surprising highlight. Katie Tranter pulls off some remarkable tricks with audience members as the psychic and Steve Watts makes a suave and smooth compere, providing wonderful piano accompaniment to the action on stage.

Music hall inevitably has to feature music, but the songs themselves are often less successful, needing more oomph and a bit more tuning at times.

Barney George's design provides a simple but atmospheric set, using mainly intentionally tired red velvet curtains on casters which are whizzed around to provide walls and reveal doorways. Pater Harrison's lighting is cozy, featuring flickering candlelight and a multitude of shadowy corners. This is a stripped-down show, but this does allow the performers to shine.

Don't go expecting to be spooked or even be given much insight into Wilde's original story, but overall the show is fun, warm, witty and very silly.

The Canterville Ghost is at the Southwark Playhouse until 5 November

Photo Credit: Tall Stories

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