If there's something strange in the neighbourhood, who you gonna call? William Shakespeare!
A well known supernatural tale that has been given a quirky Elizabethan twist is taking to the stage at The Garage on Friday as Norwich-based REDuck Producktions presents Ministers of Grace: The Unauthorized Shakespearean Parody of Ghostbusters.
The play, penned by American writer Jordan Monsell, sees the classic 1984 film given a Shakepearean makeover complete with iambic pentameter, period prose and all manner of references to the Bard's plays.
Armed with their proton pack weapons, the paranormal investigators made famous in the cult movie come face-to-face with Slimer, Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and more in a show that also has echoes of everything from A Midsummer Night's Dream to Much Ado About Nothing.
When James Ducker, the co-founder of REDuck Producktions with Hayley Evenett, first read the script he said he could not wait to stage this unusual take on his all-time favourite film.
'I'm a massive fan of Ghostbusters and having the opportunity to do a Shakespearean Ghostbusters was fantastic,' he said.
'Performing these scenes that I can recite in my head, but in Shakespeare, that's quite an interesting challenge.'
Miss Evenett added: 'If you love Shakespeare and if you love Ghostbusters, or even if you like one or the other, this is totally for you. It's got a great mix of both...It's so much fun to play and we can't wait to show people.'
She said they had been having a great time creating the different ghosts.
'We are using shadow puppets, we are using lighting effects and things, and everyone is puppeteering something one minute and creating a lighting effect the next and then getting changed into something else, so it's very quick-fire and there's a lot going on.'
Friday night's performance is a rehearsed reading, and the hope is it will be developed into a full show that will tour the country.
'We want to do a full-scale production, all-singing, all dancing, with a giant Marshmallow Man,' said Miss Evenett.
The show is at The Garage, in Norwich, on Friday, October 6 at 7.30pm. Audience members are being asked to pay what they think on the night. To book a ticket, call 01603 283382.
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