‘The Ghost Train’ is a lively mix of horror clichés and fast paced comedy. Written by Arnold Ridley, best known by modern audiences for his role as the doddering Private Godfrey in the sitcom ‘Dad’s Army’, the play was a huge hit upon its premiere in 1923, enjoying a 17 month run in the West End. It would seem that The Ghost Train has lost none of its power to chill and delight audiences over the years, as it remains a popular choice for revivals, as well as being adapted for film, TV and the radio numerous times over the years.
The latest company to tackle this spooky classic is Stockport’s Garrick Theatre. The Garrick Company started performing in its currant theatre a few years before The Ghost Train was premiered, so the building’s pre-war styling makes for a pleasingly immersive experience. Extra care had been taken to bring the world of the play to life beyond the confines of the stage. Instead of being called to our seats, we heard a retro announcement that the last train was due to depart in ten minutes. Misty smoke drifted around the auditorium, and there was a distinctive smell of coal burning.
The plot begins simply enough. A group of mismatched travellers find themselves thrown together for the night after being stranded at a railway station in the middle of nowhere. These unlucky travellers include a bullish businessman on the verge of separating from his wife, a newlywed couple spending their wedding night inside the damp and cold waiting room, a elderly spinster travelling with her pet parrot, and a foolish young fop named Teddy Deakin.
The bickering group soon discover that they have more to worry about than finding the way to pass the time. The eccentric Stationmaster tells them the legend of a ghost train that haunts the station, causing the death of anyone unlucky enough to see it. The group dismiss this old man as a simple country bumpkin but a series of unsettling events cause the travellers to question their scepticism. Nothing is what it seems in this twisty comedy thriller, as Ridley’s witty script delights in pulling the rug out from under the audience. Implausible twist piles upon implausible twist as the night of horrors turns increasingly farcical, with a disappearing corpse, a runaway mental patient and the revelation that one of the passengers may not be quite what they seem.
The production is handsomely designed, with a series of atmospheric lighting effects helping to establish the creeping sense of dread among the passengers. The flimsy doors of the waiting room seemed ill-equipped to hold out any creatures sculking around the platform. A few problems with the staging emerged here and there, a prop window which was due to be smashed in Act Two fell out of its pane early in Act One (Perhaps the Garrick has a few mischievous ghosts of its own) and the transitions between scenes could have been quicker but overall I felt very convinced that what I was watching was taking place in a chilly and deserted area of Cornwell.
The comedy was best when the cast played the material absolutely straight, allowing the play’s sense of absurdity to shine though. The play should be performed as seriously as the haunted house potboilers it parodies. Any temptation to play up to the ridiculous events in the script should be resisted as it weakens the humour. Seeing the character’s stiff upper lip attitudes begin to break down at the prospect of having a brush with the supernatural drew a flurry of laughs from the audience.
However, there were quite a few fluffed lines and on three occasions actors had to resort to the use of a very audible off -stage prompter, which also prompted some less than charitable laughs from the audience. I’m sure much of this could be ascribed to opening night nerves, but the style of fast talking comedy found in The Ghost Train requires a great deal of precision to get right. Unfortunately just one mistake tends to throw the scene out of rhythm. While there are many fine performances in the production, the cast really needs to become tighter as an ensemble in order to create dialogue that is truly snappy as opposed to just rushed.
Reviewer - Richard Gorick
on - 1/12/18
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