"The Ghost in the Meadow"

October 8, 2016 — I've always loved a ghost story. I'm not a horror show fan, nor am I impressed by monsters or aliens from outer space, but a story of haunting and ghostly presence, seen or unseen, always inspires me, and if it ends with questions unanswered, all the better. I don't like to be grossed out, but kept in suspense and startled occasionally by a well-crafted scare.

"The Ghost in the Meadow," a play by Joe Simonelli, contained some but not all the ingredients that make for a good ghost story, at least in my opinion. Presented by the Winnipesaukee Playhouse (the Winni) in Meredith, New Hampshire, directed by Marta Rainer, with a nicely designed set by Dan Daly, this production was a bit over-long, with sometimes rambling dialog. The acting was a bit flat, not up to the Winni's usual standards. On the plus side, there were a few of the well-crafted scares I mentioned before, some causing squeals from the audience.

Sheila (Elizabeth Swan, who turns in the best performance), an artist, has moved from a New York City apartment into a rambling old house in the middle of nowhere because she needs some space for a while. She has talked her sister, Kylie (Jeannie Rose McGartland) into moving in with her, but Kylie is not as enamored of the old house as Sheila. When the fleeting image of a young boy appears at a window, a woman dressed in white hovers by, and other strange occurrences frighten the two women, Sheila invites her ex-boyfriend, Julian (Kevin Killavey), a New York City detective, to come and investigate. A skeptic, but unable to account for the weird happeinings, Julian calls in Antoinette (Dana Block), a psychic who has helped him solve cases in the past.

The show had its moments of romance, humor, and I must admit some well-choreographed fright scenes involving flashing lights, screaming actors, slamming doors and ghostly apparitions. But I felt the actors could have spiced up their roles with a little more feeling and enthusiasm. One more actor I didn't mention was Lynn T. Dadian as the ghost of Kathryne, who is only seen fleetingly, dressed all in ghostly white, behind a window and in a doorway, and has not a word of dialog.

Overall, it was an afternoon well-spent. The play didn't completely satisfy my ghost story craving, but it was a nice extension of my summer theater season, which, sadly, I'm afraid is now
finally over.