ReelBob: ‘Ghost Light’ ★★½

By Bob Bloom

“Ghost Light” is a supernatural dark comedy that especially will appeal to theater aficionados.

It’s a story that embraces theatrical superstitions and the insecurity of actors that, though familiar, will still make you chuckle.

The movie, set at a rural New England theater, follows a troupe of young and has-been performers hired to put on a show — Shakespeare’s “Scottish play.”

Theater lore claims the play is cursed and that misfortune will befall anyone who utters the name of the play, “Macbeth,” in the theater.

That does not bother young English actor, Tom Ingram (Tom Riley), who plays MacDuff. Tom wants to play Macbeth, and believes he is a much better actor than former soap star and troupe ham, Alex Pankhurst (Cary Elwes).

To complicate matters, Tom and is love with Pankhurst’s wife, Liz Beth (Shannyn Sossamon), who portrays Lady Macbeth.

Strange events begin to occur after Tom and Liz Beth defy the warning and shout out the play’s name on stage while the ghost light remains lit. (Another theater tradition says that a lamp — called a ghost light — must remain burning on an empty stage.)

The two talk about killing Alex, while simultaneously, experiencing hallucinations, visions and nightmares.

“Ghost Light” relies more on humor than scares. It’s almost a throwback to those old haunted house thrillers that featured comedians such as Bob Hope or Abbott and Costello.

While all this is going on offstage, director Henry Asquith (Roger Bart) is trying to rehearse his divergent troupe, which includes Carol Kane, an old-time prima donna-like actress who portrays one of the three witches.

Kane’s supporting performance is one of the movie’s delights.

Events take an even stranger turn with the appearance of Juliet (Danielle Campbell), a hitchhiker who is recruited by the short-handed company to portray another of the witches.

It really would spoil the movie to delve any deeper into what ensues, but it is both spooky and smile-worthy.

People who enjoy or are involved in community theater as well as being fans of Shakespeare will truly enjoy “Ghost Light.”

The final reel does offer more horror than laughs, and the final payoff is keeping with the movie’s overall atmosphere.

At 102 minutes, the movie does stretch its premise a bit — truthfully it could have been an hourlong “Twilight Zone” episode. But that’s a minor quibble.

And while not all the situations come off as planned, “Ghost Light,” which will be available on demand, offers enough laughs and chills to keep you involved.

It may not have been as dark and dirty as its potential offered, but it does blend its two genres in a tasty stew.

To paraphrase a line from another Shakespeare tragedy, the play may be the thing. “Ghost Light” has its drawbacks, but it’s definitely not a tale told by idiots.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

GHOST LIGHT
2½ stars out of 4
Not rated, violence, sexual situations, language