A Ghost In My Suitcase
Image: Photo: Daniel Grant
Barking Gecko Theatre presents Vanessa Bates’ adaptation of A Ghost In My Suitcase as part of Sydney Festival 2019. Based on the award-winning novel by Gabrielle Wang, A Ghost In My Suitcase follows 12 year-old Celeste who travels abroad to scatter her mother’s ashes in the legendary Isle of Clouds, an ancient Chinese water town. In this unfamiliar environment, Celeste meets her ghost-hunting grandmother and discovers her own spiritual powers.
“Not only is she trying to process her grief in losing her mother, Celeste is going to China for the first time and dealing with culture shock by way of sounds, smells and sights she has never experienced before,” says Ching Ching Ho, one of the play’s directors. “She is guided by her grandmother – it’s about this intergenerational connection that is not commonly seen on stage with a lot of strong female energy.”
Crossing the boundaries between reality and the supernatural, the play traverses two very different landscapes and is the product of almost three years’ work from the directors and team behind-the-scenes.
“The greatest challenge for us was balancing spectacle with imagination and leaving room for the audience to fill in with their creative force,” says Matt Edgerton, the other co-director. “What people will see on stage is not a typical children’s show. It is hopefully very surprising in terms of the design and how the story has been told.”
Jan 9-19. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $56-$66+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyfestival.org.au
By Emily Shen.
