By Felicity van Rensburg and Mikayla van Loon
Described by the director as a dark fantasy and sitcom, Haunted is yet to be another local sensation at Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre.
“It’s a bit of smoke and mirrors,” director Nicholas Ryan says with “a lot of different twists and turns.”
A play that incorporates elements of the historical poet and playwright, Lord Byron, Haunted revolves around the story of Nigel Burke, a neurotic and “agoraphobic” character with “a lot of fears and phobias.”
“It runs at a good pace,” the director says.
“It’s not really a belly laugh, laughing comedy, it’s like a sitcom, more of a situation comedy than a comedy comedy.”
The director speaks about the theatrical elements used to create a ‘ghostly’ and illusory feel onstage, stating he “must take the audience’s sightline away from what’s happening, to make them focus on something else.”
“It’s enjoyable and it’s a good story line with different plot twists to it, which keeps it interesting,” he says.
Embarking upon the theatrical journey once again, lead actor, Feliks Woltersdorf, who plays Nigel Burke, says the show is “not a heavy-set drama or anything, where these very raw emotions have to be bubbling at the surface constantly,” rather “on the outset, it’s quite funny.”
Woltersdorf concurred with the director and praises the play’s technical aspects, such as the set design and lighting, which enhances the ghostly effect of Lord Byron and the overall mood of the play.
“With everything we’ve put together with all of the guys in terms of the set design and what they’re doing to their technical elements in order to, as Nicholas said, draw the attention away, to introduce him onto the stage, I think it’ll be a lot of fun for the audience when he does make that appearance,” he says.
“And that’s probably the most technical part of the whole show, is the ins and outs of him as a character, because we can’t get a real ghost, we have to pretend.”
The lead actor discusses his attraction to the role of Nigel, as well as describing the character’s depth and complexity which adds to the full scope of the story and “how the narrative is weaved.”
“Looking more at the character, I was like, ‘Oh, this is a fantastic part’, just the scale of what is involved as well as where the characters are introduced and it’s almost me and another person sort of on rotation,” Woltersdorf says.
“I think people will just enjoy having a famous literary figure present before that time, and the playful eccentricities that he exuded through his lifetime, helping to push the story across.”
“The more I’ve been able to read it and discover the character, the more nuanced and more interesting I find him, and there’s always something new to find.”
Woltersdorf reveals how he thrived upon the challenge of quickly shifting focus between different characters, stating there “is a constant relationship change that you have with everyone that you’re communicating with onstage.”
“I thought it was a really fun little test of my own skill in how you have to quickly shift your focus, depending on who it is that you’re talking to. And then I guess, the challenge of doing that was probably the most appealing thing to me.”
Woltersdorf is confident the audience will delight in these shifting aspects of the show and in “the dynamic relationships” which consist of “a constant rotation of characters on stage.”
“I think people will enjoy just seeing those relationships and how each of the conversations and relationships do intertwine with the other relationships,” he says.
Working with an active and dynamic cast, director Nicholas Ryan highlights the work that has been put into “building up all the characters” to prepare them for the eventful and exciting storyline.
“It’s been great, and they’re all different,” the director says.
But more than this, Woltersdorf wishes to pay homage to the collaborative effort, as well as the professional and creative dedication of the team, who brought this phenomenon to stage, despite a short six-week rehearsal period.
“Nicholas’s vision for it, and the collaboration he’s had with all of the people behind the scenes has really brought it to life to help suspend the audience’s disbelief,” he says.
“I think the show is really exciting. It’s a really beautiful combination of collaboration, where everyone has had a chance to express themselves in a way that helps serve the story. So, I think there’s this really beautiful connection between everyone that’s been working on it, and the result on the stage is quite exceptional.”
Don’t miss the second season of this phantasmic, adventurous and comedic show. The season begins on Thursday 24 April and runs to Saturday 10 May at Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre.
