A TOUCHING AND WHOLESOME SLOW BURN THAT’S SOMEWHAT WORTH THE WAIT

By Katie Shaw | @katieeshaaw ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Greenwich Theatre saw the premiere of Peter Martyn’s Ghosts this week, with a strictly limited two-night run on the 19th and 20th August.

When finance bro Kerrigan’s plane gets struck by lightening, he finds himself on an island with a reclusive man with no name. No-name (who we later learn is Jonny Gold) has carefully curated a comfortable – albeit basic – existence for himself on the island. He has a tent, music, 4,000 books, and a desalinating water system. While Kerrigan hopes to find his way back to civilisation and the life he once knew, Jonny – and the island – has other ideas.

Jonny and Kerrigan hold entirely opposing philosophies. Jonny lives a very basic existence on the island, where he’s been for 6 months, whereas Kerrigan is a wealthy finance business owner; he owns an island, a plane, and is fuelled by his job and money. Jonny critiques the media and press whereas Kerrigan indulges in it. He has a short fuse and hot temper, a world away from Jonny’s nonchalance. Martyn’s play balances this clash of personalities, with Kerrigan trying to convince Jonny to return to civilisation, and Jonny trying to revive Kerrigan’s humanity.

Martyn establishes Jonny and Kerrigan’s differences very early on, introducing two characters who are well written and developed. Nick Thomas plays Jonny and James Turner plays Kerrigan, both talented actors who deliver a performance filled with emotion, passion, and a quiet humour that slowly trickles into the scenes. It’s not immediately obvious what genre this play is, and it certainly takes a while for the laughs to warm and spread amongst the audience, but it eventually establishes itself as a dark comedy. The humour does not always land clearly, and whether this is down to the writing, the delivery, or just a lukewarm audience, I cannot say. The flow between the scenes feels rather amateurish and a little rigid at times, which initially bars any real sense of engagement with the play. However, as the scenes and story unfold, the heart of the play is revealed, exploring themes of humanity, mental health and grief; anchored by the men’s fight for survival. Martyn’s writing is good, though it doesn’t compel you from the get go. Instead, Ghosts feels like a slow burn that’s somewhat worth the wait.

Ghosts comes to a rather abrupt end, so much so that I was waiting for the next scene to begin – perhaps an indication of the need for slightly sharper writing, or perhaps an intentional artistic choice; with Kerrigan and Jonny’s fate left open to the interpretation of the audience. Nonetheless, for a developmental production, this two-man cast and the production is impressive, and the heart of Martyn’s play is touching and wholesome.

Ghost was performed at Greenwich Theatre on 19 and 20 August. You can catch Ghosts on its next run at Greenwich Theatre’s main auditorium in 2027.

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