Staged in promenade fashion, Selecting A Ghost uses every possible inch of the Stanley Arts building to tell a brilliantly devised production of the Arthur Conan Doyle story. The audience are positioned as on a tour of the house, so what might be boring exposition is transformed into an adventure to explore the space. A playful urgency is created by the actors as they take us through the space, with the building transforming from room to room. Some audience members get to partake in a ghost chase, and there are light moments of interaction which are respectful of audience boundaries while still making us feel engaged in the action.
As the production moves into bigger spaces in the building, the lighting and sound are quite inventively used - even the lift is a delight, as we see an actor rising up (to delightful comic effect) as we in the audience walk up the stairs. Lighting is used cleverly to direct our attention and create new spaces at times, without moving the audience.
The final phase of the production where we meet the ghosts is beautifully conceived, using the text and dubstep to create an almost X-Factor ghost audition for the audience. The choreography is captivating and the use of this bigger space coupled with sound and light is inventive and fun.
The two lead performers (Edward Bennet and Jade Williams) do a brilliant job taking us on the journey, with a special shout out to the actor who plays the wife along with at least 3 other characters through a fantastic physical transformation. They are supported by 4 dancers who play the ghosts, all of whom were captivating.