GHOSTLIGHT

US, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Keith Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferrer, Tara Mallen, Dolly De Leon, Hanna Dworkin.

Directed by Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson.

A caution that this is a very serious film, serious themes requiring audience attention. It is a film about families and therapy, theatre as therapy, performance as therapy, and the film itself performing some kind of therapeutic function for the audience, some understanding, some empathy, some hope.

To the theme from Oklahoma, Oh What a beautiful morning, we are introduced to construction worker, Dan, older, serious, called to the principal’s office with his wife to discuss the expulsion of his daughter, Katherine, for attacking a teacher. Katherine is angry, compulsive behaviour. Dan and his wife, Sharon, hopeless as to what to do. And then we see Dan at work, preoccupied, assaulting an aggressive driver. What is behind this family anger?

In fact, this is only gradually revealed, indications of a lawsuit and meetings with an adviser for a deposition. Sharon conducts children singing a song at a school event. Katherine is involved in therapy.

Angry with Dan because of roadworks and noise, Rita, an actress from the Philippines (Dolly de Leon so effective in Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle of Sadness) sees him lose his temper and invites him to come in to meet the group in an old abandoned cinema.

And here begins the theatre connection, the theatre therapy. Rita invites Dan in to join the group, a motley collection, an unlikely community theatre group as you will ever find! Dan is welcomed by the sympathetic and knowledgeable director. Dan is at a loss, but returns, gradually coming more and more involved, the play being Romeo and Juliet. Katherine is able to show him the video of as Lerman’s Romeo + Juliet, to explain iambic pentameter to him. He becomes more and more involved.

The audience is invited to become more and more involved in this strange group, their ups and downs, the rehearsals, the tantrums, the enthusiasms, and Dan secretly returning to rehearsals, seen by his wife and daughter with Rita, Katherine following him – but quickly caught up in the enthusiasm of the group. Katherine herself aspires to be an actress, enjoys singing, becoming part of the group.

But, the true story behind the family grief and anger is gradually revealed, and the screenplay opens up parallels with Romeo and Juliet, to the point where it seems a good idea, even though they are old, that Dan and Rita play the starcrossed lovers, the experience, especially in the night of actual performance, bring home the reality of his grief which parallels that of the play. Cathartic for Dan as well as for Sharon and Katherine.

Audiences will be caught up in the drama – and, able to suspend disbelief that such a group could achieve such a performance, could actually stage it with costumes and stagecraft so quickly.

In fact, the actors performing the family in this film are husband and wife and daughter, strong performances, most especially moving is Keith Kupferer completely convincing as Dan,. A moving experience.

1. An unexpected experience, portrait of the family, tragedy and sadness, the telling of stories, the sharing the stories, drama and theatre?
2. The setting, an American town, family home, school, workplaces, the streets, the abandoned cinema, the interiors and its use as theatre space, the school theatre space, visits to therapists…? The musical score? Songs from Oklahoma?
3. The title, not appearing until the end, the experience of presence of the dead, the theatrical experience in dramatising tragedy ghostlights and footlights?
4. The significance of theatre, auditions and actors delving into themselves, motivations, consciousness, issues? Rehearsals and their effect? Interactions, clashes, emotional testing, intimacy, angers? The achievement of performance, audience response, cast satisfaction – catharsis?
5. The introduction to Dan, his age, work helmet, situations, collaboration with his workmate, call to the school principal, meeting his wife, Katherine and her behaviour at school, her outbursts with the principal, issue of expulsion, arguments, suspension? Audiences puzzling as to the key problem at home?
6. Dan, returning to work, the noise with the digging of the streets, Rita and her coming out, her anger with the workers? Danny and his reaction, thinking about his daughter? The driver, the confrontation, the physical violence? His leaving, the later meetings with the boss, the confrontations?
7. At home, his wife, love for her husband, exasperation with him, the problems of Katherine? The issue of therapy, their going, his wife’s reaction, Katherine and her scepticism, and not wanting to go? Been forced into situations, his angry reactions?
8. Back to work, the discussion with the authorities, the encounter with Rita, her inviting him in, his following her, community theatre, the unusual character is there, the skill of the director and her control, her insights, encouragement? The older men, not looking like actors, the younger men, the older lady? Dan, reading, the awkwardness, the encouragement of the others, his return? His wife and Katherine seeing him, suspicions of an affair?
9. The character of Rita, theatre, Filipino background, with the group, friendship with Dan, interactions, friendly with the family, wanting to perform Juliet, her achievement?
10. The choice of Romeo and Juliet, the various aspects of the text, the introduction, the rehearsal of the love meeting seeing, the death of Juliet, the death of Romeo? The iambic pentameter, the video of Baz Luhrman’s film, the explanation of the rhythms of Shakespeare’s language? The effect on Dan?
11. Katherine following, suspicious, finding the theatre, the confrontation, discovering the truth, quickly adapting, enjoying the company, becoming part of the ensemble, the rehearsals, the songs from Oklahoma? Her participation in the rehearsals?
12. The gradual revelation of the death of their son, his relationship, the prospect of moving, the love, the suicide, the girl surviving? Going to the lawyer, rehearsing the questions and answers? The document? The final meeting, its effect, the young girl and her meeting with Dan, apologies? The meeting, unsettled?
13. Danny and his wife, the gradual revelation of the truth, her coming to meet the group, her enthusiasm, her previously being seen conducting the children singing, the theatre space, the ensemble coming, rehearsals, sets, lights, unexpectedly lavish and such preparations in such a short time?
14. Rehearsals, difficulties, changing characters, the actor going off in a huff? Dan, the emotional crisis, whether to go in or not, the rehearsals of the death of Romeo, the surfacing of his feelings about his son’s death, identifying with him?
15. The performance, the crowd, the students getting credit for attending the play, his friend from work and his wife, Dan’s wife and the cheer squad? The performance, the success, the importance of Dan experiencing the surfacing of his feelings? The aftermath and happiness?
16. Tragedies, trauma, therapies, communal therapy, surfacing issues, overcoming reserve and fears? Ultimate effect?