REVIEW: Ghost Quartet, London (Boulevard Theatre)

(Photo of Carly Bawden and Maimuna Memon in Ghost Quartet, by Marc Brenner)

From the mysterious introduction of ‘I Don’t Know’ to its open-ended conclusion of ‘The Wind and Rain’, Ghost Quartet takes you through a spellbinding tale of love, heartbreak, and ghosts with a bone-white violin and a splash of whiskey. But does its London debut hold up to its original American counterpart?

I must admit, Ghost Quartet is a personal favourite of mine. Though its various iterations over the years have seen a simple, minimalist approach to its staging, it makes up for it at least threefold in its storytelling and music, with enough talent and skill in its four-person cast to rival even the biggest of theatrical productions.

Penned by composer Dave Malloy, best known for his electropop Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Ghost Quartet tells the story of two sisters caught in a lovers’ spat spanning centuries and multiple lives, told through lilting folk music and jazz. The story begins with two sisters, Rose and Pearl, who fall in love with an astronomer. The astronomer betrays Pearl and breaks her heart, choosing to run off with Rose. In a fit of rage, Pearl seeks the help of a bear to maul the astronomer and turn Rose into a crow who will have no choice but to peck out the eyes of her lover and eat them when she begins to starve. The bear agrees, on the condition that Pearl obtains a few items — one pot of honey, one piece of stardust, one secret baptism, and a photo of a ghost. Thus begins Pearl’s quest to obtain the items for her revenge, which takes her several lifetimes (and stories) to procure.

(Photo of the Ghost Quartet set designed by Simon Kenny, taken by Eliza T.)

As you walk from the recently refurbished Boulevard Theatre’s modern frame of glass into the theatre, you’re greeted with what seems to be a dimly lit, cosy lounge that exists in a dusky world of its own, with vintage suitcases, rugs and warm lamps and lanterns. With the theatre’s intimate size, it’s easy to forget that you’re at the theatre, instead lounging in a friend’s living room on a cool autumn evening for a round of storytelling after a warm dinner.

Unlike traditional musicals, Ghost Quartet encourages audience participation. Played in the round, audience members are given shakers to play along with specific songs, given whiskey to drink during Four Friends, and are even invited up onstage and given the actors’ instruments to finish the show.

One of the highlights of the production is the fact that all four actors take on multiple roles, playing multiple iterations of the same characters while playing multiple instruments, including the piano, cello, erhu, metallophone and others, during the show. The London production of Ghost Quartet sees Carly Bawden as Rose Red/Starchild/others, Maimuna Memon as Pearl/Sheherazade/others, Niccolò Curradi as The Bear/The Pusher/others, and Zubin Varla as The Astronomer/Edgar Usher/others. Each brings their own unique touch to their characters – Bawden’s mesmerising siren-esque vocals, Memon’s swaying bluesy tone, Curradi’s cheeky deftness with his cello, and Varla’s kind authority make their iteration of Ghost Quartet their own, and not just a replica of its American counterpart.

Running at 90 minutes without an interval, it’s easy to forget that the show isn’t at least twice its length. Ghost Quartet pulls you head-first into its intoxicating, and at times indulgent music, with an atmosphere as stunning and inviting as its music.

If you’re looking for an easy, laid-back night out at the theatre, Ghost Quartet probably wouldn’t be your first choice. Its many stories fold into one another like an intricate piece of origami – lose one line of the story’s thread, and you may find yourself hanging in a limbo while the story ploughs on without you. Those uninitiated with the tale may want to have a skim through the show’s Wikipedia page before stepping into the world of the show.

All in all, Ghost Quartet is definitely a show that fits London’s theatre landscape, and it would be a shame if another production doesn’t haunt the city soon enough.

The London production of Ghost Quartet played at London Soho’s Boulevard Theatre from 24 October 2019 – 4 January 2020.