Ghosts - Lyric Hammersmith Review

Reviewed by Giada

I really wanted to love this show. Cause I’ve been following Gary Owen and Rachel O’Riordan closely for the past few years, and I genuinely wanted them to do well. At first, I allowed myself the possibility that Ghosts might be a slow burn. The truth is, it never even lit.

Photo by Helen Murray.

Adapting a story from the 1880s presents challenges, particularly with a work that isn’t among Ibsen’s most celebrated. In the original play, the protagonist challenges morality and societal norms. Yet in this adaptation, she seems to comply with the very power that suffocates her. While this reimagining could potentially offer insight into a specific aspect of modern womanhood, it ultimately results in lower stakes and characters that lack depth or clear motives. Mrs. Alving, now Helena, hesitates to remove her husband’s name from the hospital she’s building with his money, fearing it might disrupt his legacy and trouble her son. To that, my girl's math responded: just change the name, gurl, I doubt your son would even notice, and come up with a lie - you're good at that!

Given these weak premises, I found myself slipping into a bad mood as I began to listen to what sounded like the whining of a wealthy, white, middle-aged woman trying to win her long-lost lover back. By the time she finally opened up about the abuses and betrayals she endured from her husband in order to protect the family, I was already detached. As a woman myself, it pains me to admit that I couldn't care less about her struggles. I’m uncertain whether the fault lies in the writing, directing, or the delivery - it’s likely a combination of all three. What frustrates me most is having a female character whose trauma is rendered in a clichéd manner, lacking psychological depth.

Photo by Helen Murray

As Helena seeks redemption, the younger generation appears poised to break free from generational trauma. Helena’s son Oz falls in love with Reggie, the daughter of his nanny. While their connection seems genuine, it may conceal another dark family secret. Callum Scott Howells (Oz) and Patricia Allison (Reggie) carry the show, confirming Owen and O’Riordan sharp eye for portraying the youth. Given Oz’s poor emotional intelligence, his coming to terms with what he perceives as his own wrongness and monstrosity (some sort of “original sin” at play during his conception) is a fair payback.

The only noteworthy aspect of the abrupt ending - one that doesn’t even allow Oz to process his unshakeable desire - is that it concludes an underwhelming and partially insufferable three-hour-long experience. Ghosts claims to explore significant themes of wealth, abuse, depression, yet it does so through the lens of privilege, ultimately failing to provoke genuine reflection. It’s not enough to put a carpenter on stage to make the narrative about class struggle.

The production generated strong reactions (a mix of laughter, disgust, and discomfort) from the audience, so clearly, it must resonate with some. Perhaps I’m too much of a sick fuck to find any of that incest-like dynamic shocking or interesting. Perhaps I’m not the audience this Beautiful-esque melodrama aims to reach.

Ghosts plays at Lyric Hammersmith until Saturday 10th May 2025. Tickets are available from https://lyric.co.uk/shows/ghosts/