| The Poltergeist | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Philip Ridley |
| Characters | Sasha |
| Genre | Solo performance |
The Poltergeist is a 2020 play by Philip Ridley. [1] It won the OnComm Award for "Best Livestream" at the 2021 Offies.
The play premiered at the Southwark Playhouse in London in 2020, starring Joseph Potter [2] and directed by Wiebke Green, who also directed Ridley's The Beast Will Rise monologue sequence. [3]
Ridley wrote the play during the UK's first lockdown of the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally intended for a socially-distanced performance with an accompanying livestream, [4] but was moved to a livestream-only event when the UK's second lockdown was implemented. [5]
The Poltergeist was received positively by critics. Greg Stewart, writing for Theatre Weekly, said: "It will come as no surprise to admirers of Philip Ridley, that he has penned another jewel in the crown of theatre, but add in a tour-de-force performance from Joseph Potter and we quite possibly have one of the most remarkable pieces of theatre of the year. With or without a standing ovation, The Poltergeist is one of those rare and unmissable pieces that will be talked about for years to come." [5] Dave Fargnoli for The Stage wrote: "Joseph Potter's performance crackles with intensity, snapping between multiple characters at breakneck speed, mercilessly piercing every line of banal chit-chat with a tirade of caustic asides." [1] Sam Marlowe for i wrote that it was "a terrific, teeth-grindingly tense monologue", "a typically exhilarating, wild Ridley ride, with a phenomenal motormouth performance from Joseph Potter." [6]
The Poltergeist won the OnComm Award for "Best Livestream" at the 2021 Offies. [7]