Oct 22

Oct 22 'Grand Ghosts' at the Grand Theatre

Photo: Avelea Thorne of young & free press in the prime photo-spot at the Grand Theatre in London during opening night of the new play Grand Ghosts on Friday, October 21st, 2022.

Hey London! There are lots of reasons to check out the new play Grand Ghosts running until November 5th at the Grand Theatre on Richmond Street. Members of our team at young & free checked out the play on opening night, October 21st. This is our list of top five reasons to attend:

1 / The story, by playwright Trina Davies, revolves around the endlessly intriguing life of Ambrose Small, the Ontario theatre magnate who owned the Grand Opera House in Toronto and built the Grand Theatre in London. In December 1919, he finalized a deal to sell his vast network of theatres, and then he disappeared — never to surface again — leaving behind his fortune (the sale was for $1.7M), a jealous wife, frustrated employees, a mistress, and gambling debts. Some observers maintained that his wife arranged the murder. Subsequent researchers have thought that business rivals or collectors likely had him killed. There were also rumours that he simply walked away from his life, plus supposed sightings over the years, but nothing confirmed. In the play, Davies does a lovely job of providing details while still maintaining the mystery.

2 / In his debut role at the Grand, Jesse Gervais is a lot of fun as Ambrose Small. Certainly, the real-life historical figure is a compelling character, equal parts entrepreneur, gambler, and womanizer. Gervais portrays Small as a kind of brutish but likeable cad. There are moments when the actor steers the character almost into Ron Burgundy territory, a reference to the rascally news anchor played memorably by Will Ferrell in the Anchorman films. Seriously, the hair, the moustache, the voice … check out the play and see what you think! This is not meant as a criticism at all – playing Ambrose Small as simultaneously calculating, mischievous and oblivious feels like the perfect choice for the play. Special nods as well to Jan Alexandra Smith, who portrays Theresa Small, wife of Ambrose, and Andrew Prashad, the ‘emcee’ for the show who helps guide the story along.

3 / The creative team behind the scenes has done a wonderful job of bringing the play to life, mixing vaudevillian elements smoothly into the action and coming up with some terrific set pieces. There are several memorable scenes, including an amusing game of cups and an homage to silent films. Congratulations to director Jillian Keiley, choreographer Genny Sermonia, and set designer Shawn Kerwin, among others, for bringing such inspiration to the details. The play is visually compelling from start to finish.

4 / There are lots of Forest City inside jokes peppered throughout the script. Now and then we hear residents or visitors describe London as boring, but of course this is just the sort of thing said by people who do not know how to dig into the culture of a place. Grand Ghosts draws viewers into the story, as well as the city — after all, every community needs a good ghost story! Apparently, Ambrose Small had a particular fondness for the Grand Theatre in London, and one of the theories that popped up during the investigation of his disappearance was that his body had been incinerated there. Does the ghost of the theatre mogul remain?

5 / For theatregoers intrigued by the play, there are ways to learn more about Ambrose Small, including reading the book The Missing Millionaire by Katie Daubs. The author shares the benefits of extended research into one of the most compelling unsolved cases in Canadian history.

So, check out Grand Ghosts – find more information & ticket details here.