The Ghost Train

Ghost Train was first produced at St Martin's Theatre in London in 1925. Arnold Ridley – Private Godfrey in Dad’s Army - wrote the play whilst being stranded at Mangotsfield railway station in Bristol and it took only a week to write.

Set in a 1920’s cold, damp, tired station waiting room, with green tiled fireplace and old station clock, the set looked completely authentic with peeling poster and old chairs. The windows, however, were covered in plastic sheeting and it might have been better to have put in glass or sugar glass as it didn’t look that realistic and of course Julia can’t break the window in the ghost train scene which was a shame.

First night nerves meant prompts throughout the show so this slowed the   pace but the cast kept going. The hard work and time that they had obviously put into this production paid off. A few blocking issues meant we couldn’t sometimes see all the characters on the stage. Just moving Miss Bourne across the bench slightly in the opening scenes would have solved the problem.

Saul Hodgkin, the station-master, was wonderfully overplayed by Jerry Thomas making the most of his ghost speech. Great projection and expression made this a good opening to the show.

Experienced actors Liz Curley and Boot Banes as Miss Bourne and Richard Winthrop were excellent in the portrayal of their respective characters. Clare Williams played his quiet gentle worried wife Elsie.

The young married couple Charles and Peggy Murdock (Chris Rogerson and Shelley Goodwin) portrayed their newly married relationship well.  I would have liked the director to have worked on Charles’ stance, as he came over very 21st century rather than 1920’s. Nonetheless he kept his accent up throughout. Sometimes when Peggy turned upstage we lost her projection but this was a lovely portrayal of the young naïve girl.

Teddie Deakin, acted by the exuberant Nick Caton, was a real treat going for the over the top, delightfully childish camp  and then reverting at the end of the play to his true self and revealing he was not so asinine as he appeared. Good projection and an energetic performance.

Herbert Price – Toby Harris as the brother of Julia and Janet Sterling – Jodee Goodwin as the nurse, acted competently although again I would have liked to have seen Toby’s stance and character to be more of the period.

Sharon Goodwin gave a spirited performance of a troubled Julia and last but not least Jackson the policeman was authentically acted by Ben Wilton.

Costumes were a bit of a mismatch with the women looking correct but some of the gentleman wearing suits that were not of the 1920’s period but more present day.

A lot of effort had been made to put information and railway paraphernalia around the hall for us all to read and enjoy. The full house on the first night showed that this was a good choice of play to put on at Halloween and was really enjoyed by all. Well done to the cast and crew for a very pleasurable evening.

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