Ghost from a Perfect Place

Ghost from a Perfect Place is a two act play by Philip Ridley.^[1] It was Ridley's third stage play and premiered at the Hampstead Theatre, London on 7 April 1994. The part of Travis Flood was played to much acclaim by the veteran, classical actor John Wood. The production was the third collaboration between Ridley and director Matthew Lloyd, who had directed all of Ridley's previous stage plays^[2] and would go on to direct Ridley's next play for adults Vincent River in 2000.^[3]

The play is the third and final instalment in Ridley's unofficially titled "East End Gothic Trilogy", having been preceded by The Pitchfork Disney and The Fastest Clock In The Universe.^[4]

The play caused a great deal of controversy at its première due to a scene where an old East London gangster, played by Wood, is tortured by a gang of girls. The theatre critic of The Guardian, Michael Billington, described the play as "pornographic." As with most of Ridley's work, however, the critical response was deeply divided, with Sheridan Morley describing it as "a masterpiece" and John Peter, of The Sunday Times, declaring, "Ridley's work is an acquired taste and it looks like I'm getting it."

This play, along with Ridley's The Pitchfork Disney and The Fastest Clock In The Universe are now generally regarded as seminal works in the development of the so-called in-yer-face theatre that emerged in Britain during the mid-1990s.

In 2014 the play was performed at the Arcola Theatre.^[5]

Notable Productions

Premiere

7 April 1994 at Hampstead Theatre, London, directed by Matthew Llyod.

• Torchie Sparks - Bridget Turner
• Travis Flood - John Wood
• Rio Sparks - Trevyn McDowell
• Miss Sulphur - Rachel Power
• Miss Kerosene - Katie Tyrrell

2014 Revival^[6]

11 September 2014 at the Arcola Theatre, London, directed by Russell Bolam.

• Torchie Sparks - Sheila Reid
• Travis Flood - Michael Feast
• Rio Sparks - Florence Hall
• Miss Sulphur - Scarlett Brookes
• Miss Kerosene - Rachel Redford

Further reading

• Sierz, Aleks (2001). In-Yer-Face Theatre: British Drama Today. Faber and Faber Limited. ISBN 0-571-20049-4. Pages 40 – 46.
• Urban, Ken (2007). Ghosts from an Imperfect Place: Philip Ridley's Nostalgia
• Sierz, Aleks (2012). Modern British Playwriting: The 1990s: Voices, Documents, New Interpretations. Methuen Drama. ISBN 9781408181331. Pages 104 - 108.
• Allison, Natalie and Sarah Stribley Productions (2014). Ghost from a Perfect Place: Practical Resources Pack.

References