The Brothers Paranormal

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – The Brothers Paranormal

Playwright – Prince Gomolvilas

Production Company/Theatre space – The Playhouse, Vertigo Theatre

Length – 2 ACT (2 hours 10 minutes– one intermission)

Genre/s – Fantasy Drama

Premise – Two brothers, who still live with their mother, go into business together as ghost hunters to help a woman and her skeptical husband who claim to have seen a dead girl.

Why this play? Why now? – This new play has a good track record and fits Vertigo’s mandate.

Curiosities – Why have the moments of direct address to the audience that takes us completely out of the play.

Notable Moment – Theatre is about shared moments, and the audience really gets to share some great moments detecting signs of a ghost.

Notable writing – Winner of the Pen US Literary Award for Drama, Gomolvilas has written a play that has all the elements of success. This is a good story with real tension, plot twists, and a little comic relief. These three essential ingredients shine especially when they are supported by the production values available at Vertigo.

Notable performances – Ray Strachan as the husband has a supporting role, but I wanted to see so much more of him. There is a knife-edge balance between naturalism for stage and naturalism that has been learned for screen but falls flat on the boards, he nails it. Carolyn Fe works magic with some lines that might otherwise be stereotypical. Aaron Refugio plays the foil to Daniel Fong. Fong slipped in a vocal rhythm and wasn’t able to get out of it.

Notable design/Production –Set Designer Scott Reid provides us with a nimble set that meets all the set change and special effect prerequisites.  Sound Designer Alix Cowman’s soundscape skills have matured; she serves this production well. The spotlight really shines on Ajay Badoni who has designed a fantastic lighting plot.

Notable direction – Director Ester Jun captivates us putting the focus on fear and horror which is exactly where it should be. Assistant Director Kodie Rollan says in his notes that the play is about grief and intergenerational trauma - thank goodness that it wasn’t.

One reason to see this show – As I was leaving the theatre I heard a patron say, “Now that was entertaining!” which really is the highest praise a show can achieve and one the theatre community, ironically, sometimes forgets. “Ghosting” is the term for abruptly ending all communication. Sometimes this happens when patrons see a bad show, but this show should make people want to reconnect. Fine entertainment.