(Pic: Derosha Moodley as Mrs Alving and Jethro McNamee as Oswald)Derosha Moodley shines in the role of the much older Mrs Alving. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Directed by Christopher John, Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts is being presented for a short run by The Drama and Performance Studies Programme of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote Ghosts in 1881 when it had a single private performance in London. Originally written in Danish as a scathing commentary on 19th century morality, it focuses on syphilis – a sexually-transmitted disease which it was deemed scandalous to even mention in those constricting Victorian times. While syphilis can now be controlled by antibiotics, if untreated it can result in a terrible long-drawn out death which accounts for the closing scene of the play.
Ghosts avoided censorship from The Lord Chamberlain’s office by being presented by a subscription-only theatre group and it went on to be performed by a Danish touring company in Chicago in 1882.
In aiming to find a way in which this 129 year-old play could resonate for a contemporary audience in KwaZulu-Natal, Christopher John has chosen to set his interpretation in “the kind of claustrophobic semi-urban society of somewhere like Stanger”. Here, the character of Mrs Alving is a wealthy Indian widow. Overcoming the secrets and demons of her unhappy past life with her immoral husband, she has built an orphanage to use up all his money so that her beloved son doesn’t inherit anything from him.
However, it’s not just money that can be inherited and as the play progresses, we discover that Mrs Alving’s demons have come back to haunt her like ghosts. The dissolute father (Engstrand) of her flirtatious maid (Regina) decides to assert his parental authority, the maid herself becomes a thorny issue and her son Oswald eventually plucks up the courage to reveal details of his life in Paris.
If this production survives the time transition, it is mainly due to Derosha Moodley who shines in the role of a much older woman, Mrs Alving. Her consistently strong and always audible performance holds the play together. Her expressive face reflects the inner strength of the character as well as her positive outlook despite the stresses brought upon her by circumstances.
Jethro McNamee also impresses as Oswald and their scenes together – particularly in the closing part of the play– are riveting and sincere.
Derek de Froberville doesn’t quite capture the irresolute and vacillating character of Pastor Manders, while Tshepiso Mabulana (Regina) and Siphesihle Shangase (Engstrand) need to work on stronger diction and projection - even given that the background sound of rain was played at too high a level. Much important information was lost through their inaudibility.
Ghosts runs for an hour and a half without interval at the Square Space Theatre until October 9 at 19h00 in the Square Space Theatre, Howard College Campus, University of KZN. More information from Claudette Wagner on 031 260 3133, fax 031 260 1410 or email – wagnerc1@ukzn.ac.za – Caroline Smart