Broadstone Players 
War Memorial Hall, Broadstone
John Sivewright 
26 May 2026
Broadstone Players’ latest offering, Ghost Writer, a haunting comedy thriller by David Tristram, is a real treat for theatre fans, providing some much-needed gaiety in the middle of this sweltering heat wave! Mr. Tristram’s plays are immensely popular on the am-dram circuit and it’s no wonder, as he weaves interesting, often intricate plots with memorable characters and zinging one-liners.
Ghost Writer sees recently widowed playwright, Edward, living in an alcoholic stupor in a dingy bedsit, suddenly visited by the ghost of his wife, Ruby, who, being allowed three visits from beyond the grave, suggests that her demise at a Hamlet after-party may not have been the suicide the coroners thought it was. And so begins a whirlwind of a plot that sees Edward invite a group of actors to a play-reading of his new murder mystery that is a little too close to comfort for the attendees, two of whom he suspects of foul play while Ruby, who only Edward can see and hear (shades of Blithe Spirit), lingers to try and read the body language of the accused thespians. I won’t delve much deeper than that, as one wouldn’t want to reveal who-dun-what!
As heavy drinker, Edward, Jeremy Mills gives a highly polished performance, strongly convincing as the depressed widower before conveying the astonishment and confusion of encountering the ghost of his wife. There’s a fine line with playing bewilderment as one can easily go over-the-top and play it too much for laughs; Jeremy never did this, producing a realistic performance while driving the show forward with excellent pace and displaying a fine comedic range.
As Edward’s best friend, Alex, Simon Langford gave a likeable and engaging performance; his and Jeremy’s on-stage chemistry, bouncing off each other in the opening stages, was a delight. Alex clearly has affectionate feelings towards Edward and Simon conveys this with a sincerity that is at times quite touching. While the play does have some dated humour at the expense of Alex’s sexuality, the cast throw themselves into it with gusto and it all landed well with the audience. Sue Spencer was suitably ethereal as Ruby, playing the role with charm and a perfect level of whimsy. Sue’s programme notes suggest she’s relatively new to the stage, but you wouldn’t know it; her performance was fantastic and belied any sense of inexperience.
Maria Scholes as “dormouse” Glenda gave a sterling performance as a first-time drunk, while Jenny Hughes was cattiness personified as Frances. As old ham, Hedley, Patrick D’Ardenne gave a show-stealing turn, having the audience in fits of laughter with his many outbursts and asides.
Set designer, Glanville Noye, made brilliant use of the Memorial Hall stage, producing a set that looked every bit the cramped, decrepit bedsit, complete with sloping wall above the bed. Props, contemporary costume and hair and makeup all suited the piece well (on a hot night like tonight, Jeremy and Simon must have been glad to be outfitted in shorts!), with lighting and sound enhancing the production, especially during the strong winds that preceded Ruby’s entrances and the use of the Exorcist theme tune helped build a fine level of tension.
Director, Suzanne Viney, has clearly drilled her cast well as the pace was very good, especially for an opening night. A more frantic approach from the ensemble would help in the final 10 minutes or so as things come to a head, but I expect that will come as confidence grows throughout the run. Ghost Writer runs until Saturday evening (with a matinee showing that afternoon); it’s a real scream and is well worth catching.
