REVIEW: A GIG FOR GHOSTS by Fran Bushe at Soho Theatre 18 Oct – 12 Nov 2022

‘an honest, heart-warming, modern day love/ghost story’ ★★★★★

‘A Gig for Ghosts’ is a beautifully told, must see queer piece of theatre. It tells the story of Lily and Amy falling in love in a contemporary London, going up against the realistic challenges we face in the day to day, which cleverly juxtaposes our cliché desires for that Hollywood romance. The Twist? Well, this is actually a ghost story as Lily is dead…

Right from the beginning of your theatre experience, 45North take your hand and welcome you into their story with the trio of performers playing live folk music on the stage, immediately setting the scene, and allowing you to feel at ease. There is nothing more awkward than waiting for a show to begin and the actors are on stage pretending they don’t know you are there or worse, it becomes immersive, and they involve you in it when you are just trying to enjoy your wine. This wasn’t the case as the trio simply performed almost for themselves as if I was a fly on the wall of a private rehearsal. It was relaxed and natural. As the play began it was clear the fourth wall wasn’t going to exist, and it became a much more intimate story than I was expecting as the trio told us how these two met and how it ultimately led to Lily’s passing. What I loved the most about the writing was how Fran Bushe romanticised the realism and the mundane of love in the city. There were no kisses in the rain or Boom Boxes outside bedroom windows, but conversations outside Argos and tripping over in your knickers whilst watching porn. I also really enjoyed the obvious wear and tear of city people; we have Lily who just moved here and has all these colourful ideas of what life can be. Then we have Amy who is hardened and kind of angry for no real reason? You know, a real city goer. Finally, you have the perfect middle ground with Maud who multi-roles throughout giving the perfect sense of comedic relief at every turn.

In my personal opinion, Lily played by Rori Hawthorn stole the show. Hawthorn embodied the character so perfectly and it was obvious the audience really fell in love with her. Her comedic timing was so strong however, she never made the character feel forced or over the top. We learn at the beginning that she is going to die yet she made the character so likeable that I found myself hoping she would somehow survive. Her blissful ignorance to the city and the idea of love just made me want to hug her and protect her. Hawthorn also managed to perfectly jump into a different character periodically and the distinction was so clear and thought out.

Amy, played by Hanora Kamen gave the show a much-needed sense of grounding. Kamen seemed confident and in charge throughout. Her sharpness and deliberate tension really personified the detached and defensive Amy but still managed to make her relatable and likeable. After living in London for more than 10 years, I found myself really relating to Amy and her sarcastic ‘over this bullsh*t’ attitude. Kamen did a wonderful job at letting us in as Amy’s walls came down and she softened to the idea of being loved. Her final monologue was beautifully executed and was so raw and touching. In my opinion Kamen had the strongest vocals, she managed to bring so much emotion into the lyrics that it still felt natural unlike usual musical theatre ballads that often seem forced to push the story along.  

Finally, we have Maud played by Liz Kitchen. Kitchen felt like the conductor of the piece, really driving the music and allowing the audience a chance to breathe during the heavier moments with her great comedic chops. Her portrayal as Lily’s Aunt who kept calling felt so realistic and very much someone that we all know, it was rather comforting to see her consistently reaching out to Lily. Kitchen seemed at home on the stage. I almost seen her as a modern take on the idea of a Greek chorus which Kitchen used to further push the intimate tone of the story.

Overall, I think the show beautifully tells a queer love story without relying too heavy on queer traumas and whilst they play a role in this story, they are never driving it. It manages to keep the tone light and airy even when dealing with the more serious topics such as death and loss but still successfully gets its point across. The music and lyrics are catchy and poetic, I can personally see them working on a much bigger scale if the show develops. I felt the folk music was also a welcoming change to the genre of the piece (perhaps my Irish roots are making me bias) but I felt it gave the story a real unique appeal. If I was to have any critiques, it would be that the harmonies at certain points seemed slightly off but only in comparison to the strong sense of unison the trio achieved throughout the entire show. ‘A gig for Ghosts’ is a must see!

45North presents

A GIG FOR GHOSTS

BY FRAN BUSHE

Tue 18 Oct – Sat 12 Nov 2022 3.00pm, 7.00pm

Box Office https://sohotheatre.com/shows/a-gig-for-ghosts/

Twitter @forty_fivenorth

Production Team
Book & Lyrics – Fran Bushe

Music – Becky CJ

Director – Ria Parry

Musical Director – Phillipa Hogg

Designer (Set & Costume) – Erin Guan

Lighting Designer – Katy Morrison

Sound Designer – Jamie Lu

Production Manager – Misha Mah

Stage Manager – Grace Hans

Dramaturgy – Gillian Greer & Lucy jane Atkinson

Cast
Lily – Rori Hawthorn

Amy – Hanora Kamen

Maud – Liz Kitchen

Reviewer: Adam Hannigan is an Actor/Writer/Director leading his own comedy company 'Ear to Ear Productions'. He fled the green fields of Ireland to the dazzling cobbled streets of London, breaking a heel in the process. His work focuses mainly on LGBTQIA+ themes with his latest show 'Game Night' earning multiple 5 star reviews. He thoroughly enjoys comedy from slapstick to dark and twisty, add a splash of horror and he is sold. or a cat... add a cat and he is putty in your hands.  @adamhango