By Marilyn Lester***Fans of the intensely prolific Charles Busch will have much to laud in his latest vehicle, Ibsen’s Ghost: An Irresponsible Biographical Fantasy, playing at Primary Stages. As always, conceived and written by Busch, his fertile mind and imagination has turned to the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, considered to be the father of modern style. Even if you don’t Google Ibsen, what Busch has created is pretty much accurately fact-based among the fantastical. But history aside, of course there are laughs galore and lots of Busch’s posturing and expressive facial contortions—after all, in a career devoted to being a drag artiste he is the Queen of camp.
Ibsen’s Ghost may well be Busch’s most mature work to date: it’s billed a “The play Ibsen never wrote.” That’s almost true; Ibsen wrote a plethora of works, including a play called “Ghosts.” This particular Busch outing is more ensemble in presentation rather than as a clear-cut star vehicle for the actor. Even, so, by sheer force of charismatic presence, there’s no mistaking who is central to the proceedings, among a cast of top-shelf actors who never make a misstep. The action is set in 1906, shortly after Ibsen’s death. His widow Suzannah (Busch) is thrown into a peculiar frenzy of having to protect the great man’s legacy. She receives word that her husband’s former protégée, Hannah Solberg (an exquisitely versatile Jennifer Van Dyck, who has a delicious second act monologue) is in town peddling a libelous diary exposing the playwright’s misdeeds.
Therein follows a round-robin of characters all with a stake in the outcome. There’s Suzannah’s canny stepmother, Magdalene Thoresen (a brilliant Judy Kaye) and Ibsen’s long-lost illegitimate son, Wolf (the swaggering, sexy and deep Thomas Gibson), plus the mysterious appearance of an exterminator, the psychic Rat Wife (the remarkable Christopher Borg, who’s also seen as attorney George Elstad at the top of the play). For comic relief, and for the award for physical comedy, Jen Cody hams it up with perception and
perfection as Gerda, the servant girl with a few serious afflictions—until a miraculous cure near play’s end. And, of course, through this merry-go-round of high-brow camp, there’s a happy ending.
Direction by Carl Andress, frequent Busch collaborator, is on the money. He keeps the action beautifully paced with staging that enhances understanding of the several plot threads woven into the whole. Ibsen’s Ghost is also a work that’s definitely enhanced by the creatives behind the scenes. First and foremost is costume designer Gregory Gale. Each of his many costumes is a breathtaking work of art. Scenic design by Shoko Kambara offers simplicity in its unchanging presence, with elegance and thoughtful support of the action. Lights and sound by Ken Billington and Jill BC Du Boff/Ien DeNio, respectively are subtle but oh-so effective.
Ibsen’s Ghost is produced by Primary Stages in association with George Street Playhouse, and by special arrangement with Daryl Roth and Ted Snowdon in association with Jamie deRoy.
Primary Stages is located at 59 East 59th St., NYC
Photos by James Leynse
