A Ghostly Hat Trick
Coral Drouyn talks to multi award winning actor/writer/director Peter Houghton just before the World Premiere of Michael Ward’s new supernatural comedy.
Some would consider it spooky that Peter Houghton – who opens tomorrow in Melbourne in a new comedy called The Haunting of Spook Mansion (by Ghosts) does NOT have three heads. After all, the acclaimed luminary of theatre has worn three hats for many years, chalking up multiple awards as an actor, a playwright and a director. This time out he is wearing his actor’s hat in a supernatural farce which officially opens this Thursday (Nov 13, 2025) at Melbourne’s Chapel off Chapel Theatre. Peter confessed that, at this stage, his actor’s hat is still his favourite, though he expects, in his dotage, to replace it with his writer’s hat (which is often off his head and thrown on the floor in frustration when writing).
“I love acting, and I love comedy, and it’s actually more fun when someone else has the responsibility for the writing and directing. I’ve worked with (playwright) Michael a lot in television, and with (director) Russell Fletcher, and that makes the whole rehearsal process more enjoyable, especially on a new project.”
In fact, both Michael and Russell also wear thee hats alongside Peter. This production is a virtual milliner’s wet dream.
Michael has written extensively for Shaun Micallef, and one of his major hats was a full body suit as “The Kraken”, frequently released from the closet by Shaun. Russell is not only a noted comedy director and performer, he is an official Improv World Champion. It’s an impressive combination, and comedy performers Ben Russell and Emily Taheny – both well known to TV comedy lovers – complete the cast.
I couldn’t help wondering if all that expertise in common areas made rehearsals more difficult for Peter’s three-hat background. Does he ever feel that a line in the play should be rewritten? Or that the director’s blocking is killing a laugh?
“Well, we all have egos and the temptation to say ‘I wouldn’t have done it that way,” he answers honestly. “But I’ve learned over the years that it’s best to wear the appropriate hat for the job and I am now pretty good at concentrating on what my role is, one at a time. Besides, knowing both Michael and Russell brings its own degree of trust. Comedy is all about timing after all and we have a common goal - to make the audience laugh.“
Peter describes the play as being in the same mode as Noises Off and the more recent The Play That Goes Wrong, but with supernatural overtones and some stunning technical effects.
But the big question for me is - does he believe in Ghosts?
Peter hesitates and then buys extra time by saying “Good question”, but after a weighted pause he tells me.
“Let’s say I HAVE to believe in ghosts-spirits-whatever. I’ve had a personal experience that defies logical explanation. A strange figure…a house in the middle of nowhere…a light inside the house, but no way of it getting there. I simply can’t rationalise it. So yes, I believe in ghosts.”
When writers can’t define or explain an event, there has to be more to it than simply a plot point. Spooky indeed, but then truth is always stranger than fiction.
Peter also agreed with me that writing, though the hardest hat to wear, is also the most satisfying, because it’s the truly creative process and what follows is interpretive. Or, as Peter put it:
“Writers create the bottle that allows others to dance with the Genie.”
If you want to be part of a world premiers and see a fine cast “dance with the Genie”, or a heap of spooks, don’t miss The Haunting of Spook Mansion (by Ghosts), opening on Thursday 13th November 2026 for a short Melbourne run before taking on the world.
Phoographer: Mark Gambino.
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