Ghost Writer Opens Season at Arden Theater

The new Philadelphia-area theater season is under way and the Arden Theater is offering the world premier by an area playwright of his seventh play at that theater.
KYW's Bob Nelson reports that Michael Hollinger's new play is titled: Ghost Writer it was created by a playwright who regards his works as 'compositions', 'music for the mind', 'scenes involving movements, tempos, beats and pauses." All of which are born of our playwright's background in music.

His  new 90-minute, three-character works set in 1919 involves a distinguished novelist and the secretary hired to transfer his words to the printed page.

The attractive, inventive secretary bangs out the text on her manual typewriter and when the author dies  the relationship becomes one of love and unbroken creativity although the resulting book is angrily ridiculed by the author's widow.

The play makes powerful statements about creative expression and the isolation of the writer. The secretary is played by the playwright's wife, Megan Bellwoar and dedicated to her.

Jim Christy directs and while Ghost Writer makes its points supported by very sturdy performances, the narrative focused on a time when women were just coming out, along with their noisy typewriters. But the play itself may be a bit much.

(photo provided)