Review: Ghosts at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
⭐⭐⭐ (Three Stars)
In this bold new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1881 Ghosts by Gary Owen at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, the play is brought firmly into the 21st century, with Zoom calls, podcasts, and vaping references added, but the core themes of secrecy, abuse, and family trauma remaining as potent as ever.
Much of the original plot is intact, although Owen sidesteps Oswald (Oz in this new production)’s syphilis diagnosis from Ibsen’s version, replacing it with more contemporary psychological and emotional unravelling. Oz (a compelling Callum Scott Howells), an over-privileged and over-dramatic actor, returns to his childhood home in preparation for his late father Carl’s memorial hospital opening, only to find himself caught in a storm of surfacing abuse allegations against his father.
The opening scenes are a little heavy on exposition. Helena (played by Victoria Smurfit), Oz’s mother, is introduced as she prepares for the hospital's grand unveiling. But her reunion with Rob (Rhashan Stone), a hospital trust representative and her former partner, sets the play's dark trajectory in motion. Rob’s revelation that the hospital should distance itself from Carl (Helena’s late husband)’s memory because of disturbing allegations against him opens the floodgates for the drama to unfold.
Rachel O’Riordan’s direction features some effective choices, particularly in the growing tension and dread that builds as the past seeps into the present. However, a few scenes suffer from overly static staging, with actors delivering emotionally charged lines while standing unnaturally still. A little more movement could have brought added dynamism to these otherwise powerful moments.
Merle Hensel’s set design is fairly minimal but effective. The entire play unfolds in a single living room, with a central sofa and a side cabinet offering what seems to be unending glasses of wine. The most striking design choice is the walls on either side of the stage that are filled with images of a suit-wearing man facing away, evoking the feeling of the deceased Carl’s presence at all times. The back wall, a fogged window out to the world, adds a feeling of isolation, with lighting (courtesy of Simisola Majekodunmi) that shifts throughout the play to elevate the atmosphere.
Victoria Smurfit as Helena navigates the role with steely composure punctuated by moments of raw vulnerability. But the standout performance of the play is Callum Scott Howells as Oz. From bratty comedic energy to gut-wrenching emotional collapse, Howells delivers a layered and often hilarious performance, grounding the character's existential crisis with sincerity and heartbreak. His descent, once the full horror of his father’s and his own actions is revealed, is both difficult to watch and impossible to turn away from.
Ghosts is not an easy watch. As the revelations mount, the atmosphere becomes increasingly intense. Themes of inherited trauma, identity, and the struggle to reconcile public legacy with private horror are handled thoughtfully, if not always with perfect pacing. The ending, in particular, feels somewhat unresolved, leaving the play feeling slightly unfinished.
Still, it’s an impressive feat to make a 19th-century play feel this current. Owen’s adaptation offers a timely reflection on cancel culture, complicity, and the messy aftermath of truth-telling.
Ghosts runs at Lyric Hammersmith until 10th May 2025.
Photos by Helen Murray