Edward Alderton Theatre Home | News | This Season | Next Season | Bookings | Auditions | Members | Archive | History | Location | Links | Contact Us   The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley Directed by Alan Hunt 4-11 July 1981 (7 performances) Mismatched travellers, stranded overnight at a lonely rural railway station, learn of a phantom train which is said to carry the ghosts of an old train wreck... This show was presented at the Edward Alderton Theatre by the Erith Playhouse to replace a cancelled production of The Killing of Sister George. The Playhouse production ran from 8-13 June 1981, and was identical except for one cast change (Ted Howard was replaced by Brian Thatcher).   Cast Saul Hodgkin Reg Higley Richard Winthrop Roger Butler Elsie Felicity Masters Charles Murdock David Hampton Miss Bourne Brenda Winn Peggy Susan Neville Teddie Deakin John Marchant Julia Price Lynda Montgomery Herbert Price John Midlane John Sterling Brian Thatcher Jackson Bob Lindley Smith Bob Lacey Crew Stage Manager Pearl Ayling Assistant Stage Manager Carol Butler Properties Chris Milkins Costumes Marjorie Sawyer Lighting  Gary Lacey Sound Bill Ayling   Review A 'spiffing' '20s melodrama Erith Theatre Guild's treatment of The Ghost Train, by Arnold Ridley, at Erith Playhouse can only be described as "absolutely spiffing". For it was in such terms that most of the dialogue of this 1920s melodrama was couched. And most of the cast responded well, characterizing the 'bright young things' of the era whose cosy lives are disturbed by sinister station masters and bogus doctors. The dialogue and the plot were so dated and corny that the general effect of the play was humorous — and the cast knew that — but full marks to all of them for resisting the temptation to ham it up. It wasn't needed. The six stranded passengers were played by Roger Butler, Felicity Masters, David Hampton, Susan Neville, Brenda Winn and John Marchant. Brenda Winn, as Miss Bourne, was particularly funny in the scene where she downs a flask of brandy in one go and John Marchant, as the Bunter-like oaf who suddenly metamorphoses into a kind of '20s 007 was very impressive. Reg Higley, as the station master, turned in yet another fine performance. The other villains were played by Ted Howard (as Sterling) and John Midlane (as Price). Lynda Montgomery, as Julia Price, who is transformed from an English upper-class eccentric to a gangster's moll, kept an amazingly straight face as she delivered the line: "You can park your chewing gum in my instep any time." Yes, it was that kind of evening! This most enjoyable show was produced by Alan Hunt. M T Bexley Times | 18 July 1981 This review refers to the Erith Playhouse production