Review: 'The Ghost Watchers' in Barrie, Ontario's 'Theatre By The Bay'

I applaud Theatre By The Bay’s Artistic Director Iain Moggach and his tenacity for keeping live theatre going.  I had the opportunity to profile him: 'Theatre Conversation in a Covid World' with Theatre by The Bay's Artistic Director Iain Moggach — OnStage Blog and learned his integrity and word have made him highly respected throughout Barrie for his work in showcasing the professional arts in the awards he has received.

Professional artists were also employed in this production so congratulations to Theatre by the Bay for continuing to pay actors for their work.

You’ll see from his profile that Theatre By the Bay was on Iain’s mind during this time of the pandemic. Now that it appears the province will enter Stage 3 of the re-opening plan, Moggach was professional and timely in getting ahead of this announcement to open ‘The Ghost Watchers’ which runs throughout most of the summer.

Billed on the Facebook page as an ‘augmented theatrical reality experience’ in downtown Barrie, ‘The Ghost Watchers’ hits several spots in this one and a half hour walking tour that mixes both live theatre and an augmented reality experience. We meet a cross selection of ethnicities, ages and individuals with some of Barrie’s ‘dearly departed’ souls from many years ago. Moggach directs the production respectfully and with care.

This was my first visit to a Theatre By the Bay production, and I don’t want it to be my last either.

I’ve been on ghost tours and haunted walking tours in Montreal and Quebec City. I’ve also participated on a late evening Jack the Ripper tour in the Whitechapel district of London, England. Yes, guests assume that things will be ‘different’ on these kinds of tours but that’s the fun and the amusement in partaking in this entertainment. Sometimes the created environment is cheesy and sometimes it’s hokey, but it seems from my experience guests and visitors have no problem slapping down good money to learn more about the dark side of a city while having a few smiles along the way. Visitors and guests want a good time. They want a smile. They want a laugh along the way, and they also want to learn a bit about something as well.

This ‘Ghost Watchers’ does just that. Yes, it’s a tad cheesy and hokey at times, but who cares? After sixteen months of pandemic, I was outside; I was learning a bit about the dark side history of Barrie; I was watching actors who were enjoying themselves, and I was having fun in doing so. That’s what counts for me for this tour..

Upon arrival and while waiting for the tour to begin, I noticed a young girl whose ghost hunter costume reminded me of a cross between Joaquin Phoenix wearing the tin foil hat in the 2002 film ‘Signs’ and the costumes worn by cast members of the film versions of ‘Ghostbusters’. Certainly made me smile and pay attention.  Our small physically distant tour group (which also included mayor Jeff Lehman) began to listen to a talk celebrating the 150 anniversary of Barrie when the ghost hunter interrupts the speech where we are encouraged to participate in a ghost walk using the Spectrovision which has been added to our mobile phones using our QR readers. At times, I’m still a novice when it comes to how my phone operates so the two tour guides are quite helpful to ensure everything was working for me.

As some of Barrie’s dearly departed, the actors appear via augmented reality on our mobile phones and deliver intriguingly fascinating tales. I loved this. Let’s face it, this is possibly the new reality of future platforms of live theatre, and Moggach understood this and made it work. Beautifully, I will also add.

As an added bonus, his Honour Mayor Jeff Lehman could also fill in more about some of the history he knew about Barrie so I really appreciated hearing the connection between the two.  

I don’t want to spoil too much of the tour for future guests, but I was completely absorbed in some of the stories told to me from some hard-hitting moments of racism and prejudice to loneliness, to anger, to loss of innocence. 

Final Comments: As I said earlier, I’m hoping this visit to Barrie to see theatre will not be my last as I have complete trust in watching where Iain Moggach takes the performing arts in this town. Thoroughly enjoyable tour and visit. 

I recommend it for visitors, guests and for residents from Barrie and Orillia who want to learn more.

‘The Ghost Watchers’ Based on a concept by Michael Whyte
Directed by Iain Moggach
Augmented Reality developed by Sherpa Marketing
Associate Producer & Video Editor: Michael Whyte
Videographer: Greg McFadden
Costume Design: Brenda Thompson
Hair & Makeup: Inara Poleshuk
Assistant Director: Pascale Graveline-Pleau
Dramaturgs: Mary Harris & Leah Holder and Composition: Joshua Doerksen

Performers: Claire Allen, Alyssa Bartholomew, Dawn Cain. Sabrina Merks, James Dallas Smith, Candy Pryce, David Evans, Alinka Angelova, Sarah Warren, Breanne Tice, Heather Dennis.

For tickets and other information, please visit https://theatrebythebay.com/ghostwatchers

Photos provided by Iain Moggach.