Review: OUR GHOST DRINKS MATCHA, The Etcetera Theatre

Live theatre is one of the most beautiful forms of art. Life happens, and we are all human. The opening night performance of Our Ghost Drinks Matcha was a prime example of just that. 

The newest play by actor-writer Julian Daye, director of You Killed My Cat, tells of a couple, Adam and Steve, who have just moved into their first home together. However, do not be deceived; they are not the queer couple you think they are: they love voting for Reform UK. When they begin to understand that they are possibly being haunted, they use a self-fashioned Nigel Farage-themed Ouija board to communicate with what they then discover is a ‘woke’ ghost. 

When the ghost of a middle-upper-class girl named Charlotte, whose spirit is trapped inside a carton of oat milk, begins to possess the couple, she tries to help them break down their bigotry and work out what they really have to gain from hate. Will it make people hate them for being gay any less? Or is it all just performative?

Our Ghost Drinks Matcha tells of how power imbalances in relationships aren’t always how you initially think they are, those who should be fighting for equal rights often don’t, and how some people simply are just stuck in their ways. 

During the opening performance, Nay Oliver Murphy, who plays Adam, explained how the run of the show would be different to what was intended. Daye, along with writing the piece, was also due to star as Steve. However, due to sickness, he is unable to do so for the entire stint - the beauty of live theatre. Instead, stepping into the role was actor Reuben Gluck, who would be using a script for the show’s Camden run. This, however, took next to nothing away from the performance.

It is the almost textbook definition of a ‘dark comedy’. With jokes that make you grip onto your seat, moments so wild you will turn to your friends and say “that’s us”, and lines that will rewire your brain chemistry, Our Ghost Drinks Matcha tiptoes the line between what is exaggerated and what is a true call-out. 

Murphy doubles up by taking on the role of director within this production. His use of cardboard boxes with written labels on as props and set is witty and a highlight of the piece. It does not take anything away visually, but more so ties in with the theme of the oat milk carton. His directorial view is refreshing and complements the writing beautifully; there is a clear sense of collaboration between Daye and Murphy. 

His acting in the role of Adam is beautifully tragic. His ability to shift focus and have audiences feel sorry for him in the end is a stunning reminder that sometimes money doesn’t buy a real education on life; empathy does. The chemistry between Murphy and Gluck is clear, despite the one day of rehearsal, and so the energy between them never stops. It simply shifts. 

Gluck’s take on Steve at the end of the play hits the nail in the coffin of reality. To watch the mask of ‘innocent boyfriend who isn’t really a Reform UK supporter’ fall off in real time was powerful, despite the script in hand. He does a wonderful job. 

However, the standout of the piece is the writing itself. Daye has a gift for calling out performative activism in a way that doesn’t feel accusatory, but rather comes from a good place. Things in this world are not always black-and-white, not always good versus evil. Our Ghost Drinks Matcha explores the grey area, the place where there isn’t a ‘happy ending’, so to speak. It broadcasts a very scary reality, and hides it behind humour and dark jokes - something a lot of humans do. 

This play will have you crying with laughter, taking a look in the mirror, and wanting to sit down with your loved ones to have a deep conversation. 

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