This past Friday, our school’s AP English classes went on a field trip to Starbucks and The Gamm Theatre in Warwick, Rhode Island, to see Henrik Ibsen’s controversial play Ghosts. Despite being banned in England when it first was shown, The Gamm embraced the play’s once-controversial nature to ignite new energy and thought-provoking discussion around Ghosts.
The day began as students arrived at school and gathered at the SBRHS Robert Perry Performing Arts Center entrance around 7:45 a.m. The AP English teachers took attendance and assigned buses for each class. Although it was a little disappointing not being able to sit with our friends, we quickly got over it. After waiting in the cold for Bus 3, we finally boarded and made our first stop—Starbucks. Everyone was able to order drinks and snacks for later. The wait was a bit long, but understandable, considering there were over 100 students in line on top of the usual morning rush. The Starbucks employees handled it all exceptionally well. Once everyone had their drinks, we boarded the buses again for a short ride to the highlight of our trip: Ghosts at The Gamm Theatre.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly education coordinator who showed us to our seats and pointed out the concessions and restrooms. The show began shortly after, keeping us engaged from the very start. The play opened with the acclaimed actress Jacqueline Scholl as Regina Engstrand, who immediately set the tone for the story. She was soon joined by Kelby Akin as her manipulative father, Jacob Engstrand, establishing early tension and moral conflict. When the lead, Mrs. Helen Alving—played powerfully by Jeanine Kane—entered the scene, the true domestic tragedy unfolded. The rest of the actors in the talented cast were Jim O’Brien as Pastor Manders and Liam Roberts as Oswald Alving. Together, the five actors held the audience’s attention with incredible chemistry and emotion. Director Tony Estrella also deserves praise for his phenomenal work. He stayed true to Ibsen’s original text and themes while weaving in touches of humor that made the performance more engaging and relatable. The play captured my attention completely, putting me in a trance of what we call literature. However, not every moment worked perfectly. The dramatic ending—with Oswald’s seizure, which included audience members being spit on—felt distracting, drawing focus away from Mrs. Alving’s heartbreaking decision over whether to end her son’s suffering by killing him, and her loss of her orphanage and maid who was practically her daughter.
After the play, students participated in a short Q&A session with the cast, learning about behind-the-scenes moments, acting experiences, and the theater industry secrets. We then boarded our buses back to SBRHS, and ended the day with class discussions about the performance. The Gamm Theatre field trip was an experience I’ll never forget—and one I’m proud to call my last high school field trip as a senior.
-Em_Biello
