Ghost Quartet

I gave 2.5 stars because the music really carried the show and it was creative. The cast were also obviously very talented. There was some great singing, harmony and musicality with instruments. The story however was very confusing and didn't really make sense at all, and the show wasn't really true to it's description of folk, pop, jazz and country... never kind some of the reviewers suggesting Celtic rock?

I know that the cast have a very clear understanding of how their stories piece together, but honestly to the audience, it doesn't make any sense. This is so important, as the show presents itself as a coherent story. A coherent story that is piecable together by the audience would easily turn this show from a 2.5 to a 4 star show.

Here are some things that would have helped the show: 1. A narrarator to explain where in the timelines characters are in as they're jumping all over the place 2. A program indicating who plays what character as actors/actresses are switching characters all the time 3. Visual cues to distinguish characters played by the same people... example, a hat, a prop, clothing accessories, anything to help people distinguish between each other. 4. A better explanation as to what in the world was happening 5. Sometimes the instruments overpowered the voices of the cast so it was hard to hear what they were singing.

this show has inspired and changed my life in ways i can’t even begin to describe

After 8 days of walking the Fringe grounds and chatting to volunteers, staff, and artists in 2 minute intervals between using the bathroom for the first time in 4 hours or shoving a green onion cake into my face, this is still the only show that I have heard universal praise for. I am very picky with shows. I am also very picky with whose word-of-mouth I trust. Everyone with good taste that I chatted with agreed that this show was not to be missed.

A lot of things stood in the way of me getting to this show in the schedule-planning phase. I sprained my ankle and didn’t know if I would be able to drive by then. The show is 90 minutes long, a tough runtime to slot into a dense schedule. It’s also at Artshub Ortona, a venue I generally dislike and must be driven to, made only worse by how many mosquitoes seem to love this venue specifically. This is also a licensed work, whereas I try to prioritize original plays. If I was going to overcome all of that to come to this show, it needed to be worth it.

So you can imagine how high my expectations were.

I can confidently say that among the 45 shows I’ve seen so far this Fringe, this is a must-see.

Right away when walking into the space, I didn’t even recognize it as Artshub Ortona. It feels like stepping into another magical world. By the words of the artist, the setup takes about an hour. Hour well spent. Visually, the set is lush and immersive. Sightlines are better than they ever have been at this venue, which is vital because performers whirl around you and fully utilize the entire space, inviting the audience to gaze from side to side to side to side of the room.

The show unfurls like a puzzle box. Careful attention from the audience is rewarded as stories overlap and weave through various times and lives, initially with very little tying them together. Some may find this work confusing, but non-linear plot is my favourite kind, so as I told the friendly patron beside me when they vaguely explained the structure of the show to me: “hell yeah!”

The music is sonically diverse, lyrically intricate, and performed with unbelievable talent by the four actors. They played all of the instruments while acting and singing, which I know is hard because the moments of audience pariticipation really exposed how few people can hold a basic beat. Everything from the harmonies, the vocal flexibility, the loud and the quiet, was fine-tuned and impeccably rehearsed. Call me basic, but a solo ballad near then end that was perhaps the most conventional song of the night made me cry real tears—something I really, really try not do to when seating is set up so you’re face-to-face with other sections of the audience because I get recognized by name for these reviews too often and I don’t want people also recognizing me for weeping profusely in public.

The lighting was beautifully-done. Never have I been so happy to watch an entire act of a play in almost total darkness. However, despite the hard work on the space, it’s not perfect. The second floor lights are on. You can see car headlights driving by through the pipe and drape. Only a curtain separates you from the lobby, which was sometimes lit up briefly during the show. Even so, I was mesmerized by what was happening on stage and these things were barely distracting—and really, kind of a nice reminder that this space is smack dab on a river valley intersection and they transformed it masterfully.

I cannot believe that we can see a show like this for $20. It makes me feel bad, like seeing a shirt marked $5 at the store. And knowing how much licensing fees for plays can be, I am worried that these artists aren’t being paid commensurate to their triumphant work. This is Fringe, and independent arts, and Alberta, and capitlalism, but damn. We need to be throwing money at these people. We need to keep supporting independent artists so shows like this are possible.

I can't rave about this enough honestly. I loved everything about it. The music was beautiful, the cast were perfect, the venue added to the haunting experience

Don't miss this, and sit in the front row. The audience gets to join in at times, which added to the whole piece. We even joined in with having some whiskey.

Ghost Quartet is a huge endeavor to take on for a Fringe show, and this talented cast has absolutely risen to the challenge. The score is incredibly vocally difficult, but the cast of four: Lisa Kotelniski, Ashlin Turcotte, Ethan Bintu-Watt, and Matthew Gregg, navigate it with incredible technique and power.

Having myself been a fan of Malloy's Ghost Quartet for years, the choices made in this production not only honour the original text but also bring an extraordinarily unique quality to the show. The smart staging and unique space of the Artshub Ortona elevates the production even further, and the audience is drawn into the show in such a way that ensures that even if you can't track the many, many simultaneous storylines, you can sit back and simply enjoy the view, the vibes, and the music. But if you're up for it, you can attempt to track the non-linear complex storylines that weave in and around and through the spectral score.

This show isn't for everyone, admittedly. But for those who can appreciate complexity, musical excellence, and the abstract, this production is one that will stay with you forever.

This was a phenomenal show. From the moment I stepped into the theatre, I was immediately struck by the atmosphere, reminiscent of an antique store or an old jazz bar. The performers are not only incredibly talented singers, but they take on multiple roles and play a variety instruments to boot!

There were a few parts of the stage that were obstructed from where we sat, but the performers use the entire floor as their stage, dancing across carpets as they weave their tale. The show was also incredibly high energy, and the audience participation was so fun! I worried this show might drag due to the length, but it flies by.

Incredibly atmospheric and with impressive performances from all involved. The non linear storytelling might be a deterrent for some, but it kept me engaged even after I figured it out. This show came highly recommended to me, and I would recommend going in blind and letting yourself get swept into the story. All in all, this is a haunting show with spectacular performances and I think anyone who enjoys music, folk tales, and doesn’t mind a more abstract show should check it out.

Ghost Quartet is at times a confounding bit of theatre. There are several interwoven storylines crossing centuries and styles, all played by the same performers, so there were moments I wasn’t clear where we were.

However, they do manage to resurface often enough and weave back together at the end that all of them feel resolved.

That said, the Brave Spaces production of Dave Malloy’s 2014 chamber musical is such a beguiling, captivating 90 minutes, divided into four parts like a record, weaving stories of love, death, heartbreak, and, everyone’s favourite, whiskey. And whisky.

SPECTACULAR

You have to see it for it all to make sense. These musicians are some of the most talented young people, I have seen on stage. Acting and multiple instruments each switching on and off for the whole show. Different venue and stage presentation but it all works so incredibly well. I want to see it again. HIGHLY RECCOMEND

It is a spectacular collection of stories, beautifully brought together through incredible performances , music and compositions. The music especially stayed with me long after I left the theatre. There's something so special about the way this show pulls you into it's world and makes you feel like you're part of the experience rather than simply watching from the audience.

I was blown away by how talented the performers are, and I absolutely loved how they interacted with and incorporated the audience. It made every performance feel a little different and kept me constantly engaged. Even after seeing it more than once, I found myself noticing new little moments and appreciating different parts of the show.

Hands down, my favourite fringe show I've watched this year. If you're trying to decide what to see, please put this one at the top of your list. I genuinely cannot recommend it enough!

Very talented quartet. It wasn’t as gripping as other reviews led me to believe. Story was redundant after a while. It just seems to drag on as the show is quite long, give yourself plenty of time before booking another show. The set was lovely. Younger folk seemed to really enjoy it. I think it could have been at least 15 minutes shorter.

The best part of the show is the music, and through the music you piece together the story. Shout out to the amazing cast in this!

An absolute must see.

The combination of Dave Malloy’s intricate score with the outstanding performances of Matthew Gregg, Lisa Kotelinski, Ashlin Turcotte, and Ethan Bintu-Watt will leave you speechless. The brilliant scene design by Jim Guedo creates transports you to another world. The passion and hard work in these artists is palpable, and their love for the craft emanates across the room, immersing you into the show with them (especially if you’re lucky enough to be a part of the band).

What a fascinating show.

The cast expertly handles what appears to be a musical theatre behemoth. This show has Matthew Gregg, Lisa Kotelniski, Ashlin Turcotte and Ethan Bindtu-Watt visibly working to the edges of their comfort zones in the best way. I have seen a handful of them in previous works at MacEwan University, and I have to say, this show dances circles around anything I've seen them do. This is a cast of one-of-a-kind talents. To be able to seamlessly transition from being instrumentalists to actors and the inverse is a rare, rare skill. Each person brought an interesting and unique vocal quality that served the score. They each played several characters throughout the show, and they brought new flavours to each one. I especially want to shout out Ethan, the main piano player, for doing what appeared to be a bass drum and two pianos at the same time... and singing/acting all the while- and Ashlin, who spends most of the show strumming away on the autoharp (a welcome sight to folk music lovers such as myself), delivered a haunting and emotionally provocative performance of the song "Hero" had the entire house staring at her in captivity last night. Bravo.

We are sucked into a compelling narrative, the story of Rose and Pearl, and we follow its evolution through centuries of time travel, meeting different iterations of the root characters along the way. 10,000 characters is unfortunately probably not enough to explain the plot- so I am not going to try beyond that. However, I found it to be not terribly difficult to understand, provided you're a quick thinker and know what to look for. It is definitely not a laughter-heavy show (or applause-heavy, for that matter), so you're gonna want to be in the mood for serious if you're planning on coming to see it.

I was pleasantly surprised at the successes in the sound department. Though it still had dips of overbearing instruments or underwhelming voices, there were noticeable improvements in sound quality in contrast to Assassins in this same venue last summer, and they seem to have set themselves on the right path towards fixing it. I imagine the giant brick room is not doing them a service acoustically, though it certainly fits the visual aesthetic of Ghost Quartet. Lighting for this production is also beautifully crafted, serves the show well, and makes the actors look splendid.

If you have time, I strongly recommend this production. My only little gripes were that a few spots in the show felt underrehearsed compared to others, be it with the instruments or lyric retention (which could also just have been some packed-house jitters), and that the sunlight ruins the ghosty atmosphere, so be sure to catch a later show if possible, as I imagine it being dark outside will drastically enhance the last lap of the show (no spoilers). The team on this show should commend themselves for a job well done. I wish them all the best.

The song, the props, and the facial expression of the actors are 10 out of 10. It was hard to keep up with the story line, really have to pay attention to the lyrics, which is sometimes hard to follow due to the loudness of the instrument. But other than that - LOVE IT!

Espescially the seats (with arm rest - so cozy) and having concessions, last night was a blast!

I wasn't sure what to expect walking in, and it completely floored me. The lighting design shifts the whole room between these different worlds and time periods so smoothly you almost don't notice it happening until you're somewhere completely different than you started. It sets a mood that just sits with you.

But it's the four performers who really carry it. Matthew, Lisa, Ethan, and Ash are all singing, switching instruments, and jumping between characters seemingly without effort, and the harmonies between them are gorgeous. You can tell this isn't a show you can coast through. Every one of them is fully in it, all the way through.

It's a strange, dark, beautiful little story and this cast tells it perfectly. Genuinely one of the best things I've seen at the Fringe. Five stars, easily.

This haunted, and haunting, musical invites us into an atmospheric lamp-lit bar under a spacious vault where whiskey gets drunk, eerie stories get told, dances get danced, and songs get sung.... (Read the full review on 12thnight.ca)

Very talented group of four actors put on an excellent show! The score was incredible, the story was wacky and weird in a great way, and the layout of the seating was super unique. I would highly recommend.

This is a haunting, spell-binding musical from the brilliant mind of Dave Malloy and this cast more than did it justice. It’s an excellent show filled with stellar performances. Between Matthew Gregg’s commanding stage presence, Lisa’s stellar voice work, Ethan’s seemingly boundless musical expertise, and Ash’s soul chilling acting and singing, this is a next level production here at the Fringe this year. You owe it yourself to witness this incredible production while you can!

Hauntingly beautiful! Any fan of music or storytelling needs to add Ghost Quartet to their fringe list! The cast is comprised of four incredible vocalists/actors, who accompany themselves on a variety of different instruments throughout the show, all while telling a dreamlike story of the beauty and tragedies of love and life.

There are options to participate in playing instruments with the performers(they show you what to do, so no stress) if you sit in the front row, which makes the story even more moving! I saw their second show and have not stopped thinking about it and humming the songs! Tears were shed, laughs were had, gasps were gasped, and at the end I left with my heart so full.

Incredible work by the cast and creative for bringing this show to life, it is truly a gem that you cannot miss!!

From the moment you enter the space, you’re surrounded by soft lighting and eerie ambiance, as well as the most lovely and energetic performers. Prepare for a show of pure passion and intrigue! Ghost Quartet’s unconventional staging and intricate story, along with the most incredible vocals, makes it an absolutely outstanding performance.

The unique usage of space immerses you in the story as you join four talented actors and musicians throughout their journey. The cast is amazingly talented, gracing you with the most mesmerizing harmonies you will ever hear. Their voices never manage to overpower one another, but instead create a seamless blend. They each display an impressive array of musical talents along with their incredible acting and tonality, keeping you captivated for every moment of their stories. The stunning sound and lighting design also deserves a mention, as it heightens the atmosphere and expertly draws you deeper into the performance.

This show truly displays the rawness of human connection and the art found in storytelling in a deeply and beautifully haunting way. If you want to not only witness, but be fully immersed in an incredible display of art and talent, go watch Ghost Quartet!

Four very talented performers do it all. One of the most intriguing shows I have seen. Tight harmonies, excellent acting, and very creative staging. Sit in the front row and you can be in the band for a song. You may not be sure of this circular story, but it doesn't matter because it is an experience. If you think, you'll miss it.

If you want to be blown away, don't miss this one!

Literally one of the most immersive, transformative, and life changing show I’ve ever seen at the Fringe. Its unconventional way of sharing the story enthrals the audience within the first song. The use of the 4 quadrant staging simulates the 4 worlds of each of the characters to brilliant effect.

The live music, the incredible blend of voices, the atmosphere and the potential to drink alcohol is all worth the ticket price.

You won’t want to miss this one. Dave Malloy has done incredible work. The cast and crew should be very proud of themselves and I can’t recommend this show enough!

Go see Ghost Quartet!!

Ghost Quartet is wonderfully weird in the best possible way.

If you're looking for something memorable, ambitious, and beautifully performed, you'll have a great time. Don't get me wrong, it's a very strange concept but that makes it perfect for fringe.

The cast of four is exceptionally talented. Every performer sings and plays multiple instruments, and their skill is on full display throughout the show. The music is captivating, and the harmonies are gorgeous.

This isn't a conventional musical. The story unfolds across time and space in a nonlinear fashion, so don't worry about understanding everything immediately. Let the music carry you along and enjoy discovering new pieces of the story with each song.

This is the plot: Four friends share a ghost story about two sisters across time, space and centuries. With music inspired by folk, jazz, country, pop, and murder ballads, Ghost Quartet is a dream-like musical about stories and connection.

The lighting was effective, the ArtsHub Ortona venue added plenty of atmosphere, and the optional audience participation was a highlight. Front-row audience members may get the chance to play a small percussion instrument during certain songs, which was surprisingly fun. If you're shy, say no thanks or sit in the second row.

Overall, a fantastic opening-night performance and a Fringe musical I'd happily recommend.