We round up the reviews for Mei Leng Yew’s play, running at the theatre until the 31st October.
The Guardian: “A late ghostly subplot earns less of your attention, but this dark, sexy, comic production is a treat for the taste buds.”
The Reviews Hub: “Yimei Zhao’s set is fun. Several cupboard doors are set into a plain pale pink back screen. Each time one of these opens, it reveals something different including a lot of food and cooking utensils. At one point, one of them becomes a window. And Carla Ng’s sound design includes some dramatic bangs to keep us firmly in comic horror mode.”
All That Dazzles: “Everything about The Hungry Ghost feels exciting. It’s sexy, it’s funny, it’s heartwarming, and, most importantly, it feels deeply original. The two performers excel in bringing Yew’s nuanced text to life, and Conant’s direction lends it a magnetic depiction, with Chiu’s movement standing out as some of the smartest I have seen. We are left feeling elated and compelled after this delightful, cross-genre story of discovery that’s the perfect show for those who want more treats than tricks in their rom-coms this spooky season.”
A Young(ish) Perspective: “Compared to the richness of the first half, the second part feels a bit too haste. The ending involving Girl, her girlfriend and her mother fits the conventions of a rom-com well, but the ghost’s own story is only revealed in the final ten minutes in an abrupt and sudden scene transition. I would wonder, if she is both an embodiment of the girl’s desire and a character with desires of her own, what might have emerged had their stories been more closely interwoven throughout? Her history could have complicated that relationship as it developed instead of a simple sudden revelation when the play itself already comes to its conclusion.”
The Arts Desk: “New play gives a modern twist to a traditional Chinese folk story set during the ghost month.”
Everything Theatre: “Already, I am thinking about booking to see this play again, and I have emphatically recommended it to many friends. It might not be for everybody, but for the many sapphic women who are obsessed with feasting or cannibalism as a metaphor for love, The Hungry Ghost is a must-see. And whilst it may not be aimed specifically at everyone, I do believe that anyone with an open mind and a love for theatre should hail this play as the triumph that it is.”
Theatre & Tonic: “Mei Leng Yew has written a play that deserves a huge audience. You will have a great time, laugh your butt off and then leave a little bit teary. Plus, it’s the spooky month, or so if you’re not going to go see a ghost show, what are you doing? “
London Theatre.co.uk: “Directed by Ailin Conant, the play captures the feeling of being caught between two identities – and the battle to forge a path of your own between them. The sounds of a second-generation community sing: Cantonese phrases sit alongside English ones, while the little rituals and habits passed down through the generations rule the family home. The final ghost speech could use slightly more space and clarity, but this play more than establishes Leng Yew as a very original and perceptive writer. One to watch.”
Broadway World: “Under Ailin Conant’s direction, The Hungry Ghost is a vastly watchable, funny, and thought-provoking play with a bold physical and visual language. Each individual element of the production is executed with moments of brilliance – but with an underlying predictability, it does leave you wanting more. “
Theatre Weekly: “What truly makes this production shine, however, is its leading performers. Mei Mac and Isabella Wei are supernaturally sublime in their roles as Girl and Ghost, respectively. “
To book tickets visit: https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/the-hungry-ghost/