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The Ghost Theatre

Utterly transporting historical fiction, Elizabethan London as you've never seen it

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The Ghost Theatre

By: Mat Osman
Narrated by: Ellie Kendrick
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Bloomsbury presents The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman, read by Ellie Kendrick.

** NOW WITH BONUS MATERIAL EXCLUSIVE TO THIS EDITION **

BOOK OF THE YEAR – EVENING STANDARD, THE OBSERVER and THE TIMES

‘Fiction that's larger than life and twice as much fun’ Guardian

'Rich and evocating; the kind of story you get lost in' Independent

'Osman brings the underworld of Elizabethan London to life' Sandra Newman, author of Julia

On a rooftop in Elizabethan London two worlds collide. Shay is a messenger-girl and trainer of hawks who sees the future in the patterns of birds. Nonesuch is the dark star of the city's fabled child theatre scene, as famous as royalty yet lowly as a beggar.

Together they create The Ghost Theatre: a troupe staging magical plays in London's hidden corners. As their hallucinatory performances incite rebellion among the city's outcasts, the pair's relationship sparks and burns against a backdrop of the plague and a London in flames. Their growing fame sweeps them up into the black web of the Elizabethan court, where Shay and Nonesuch discover that if they fly too high, a fall is sure to come…

Fantastical and captivating, The Ghost Theatre charts the rise and dramatic destruction of a dream born from love and torn apart by betrayal.

'Wildly inventive and full of fantastical elements jostling alongside gritty realism’ The Times

'Rich and evocative with shades of Angela Carter' Ever Dundas

'A story of rebellion and magic, of mysticism and broken love in the streets and theatres and rooftops of Elizabethan London. Beautifully written, delicate and sad. I'm still haunted by it' Mariana Enriquez

Readers LOVE The Ghost Theatre
‘An incredible novel that completely transported me’
‘Mat Osman is a magical writer’
‘One of those books you find yourself thinking about long after the final page’
‘A captivating and brilliant novel’
‘Mesmerising… I didn’t want it to end’
‘A magical flight across Elizabethan England’
‘An enthralling read from beginning to end’©2023 Mat Osman (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Magical Realism Fiction Theatre England Scary Thought-Provoking Haunted Ghost
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Critic reviews

‘A master storyteller, judging from his virtuoso novel … a great read [that] makes you look at a familiar historical period through fresh eyes’
‘An excellent novel – riotous and abundant, full of vivid, dirty life’
'Rich and evocating; the kind of story you get lost in'
'The Ghost Theatre finds its way into the hidden corners of Elizabethan London, telling the story of a group of misfit actors. Beautifully written and completely convincing’
"Combining breath-taking world-building with vivid characterisation … An imaginative tour-de-force of theatre, magic, love and betrayal"
"This imaginative novel brings a raucous, evocative world to life"
'Wildly inventive and full of fantastical elements jostling alongside gritty realism’
A story of rebellion and magic, of mysticism and broken love in the streets and theatres and rooftops of Elizabethan London. Beautifully written, delicate and sad. I'm still haunted by it.
"A blistering ride"
Dramatic and gripping, The Ghost Theatre pulled me on a breathless journey of hope, beauty, wonder, tragedy, and the power of theatre.
“The star of the show in The Ghost Theatre is Osman's fanciful rendering of Elizabethan England, sometimes dreamlike, sometimes apocalyptic, depicted with such a wealth of sensory detail that it blurs the line between memory and fantasy.”
"Smart, bold, and original, THE GHOST THEATRE brings to life a slantwise Elizabethan London where appearance is everything and nothing you see can be trusted. Every page is alive with the heady, dangerous energy of an opening night, and Shay and Nonesuch are unforgettable. For readers who like their historical fiction with imagination and flair, this book is a must-read."
A wild, vivid, eerie flight of imagination about the stories we live, and those we tell others. Utterly transporting.
Stunning! I devoured The Ghost Theatre and when I finished I couldn’t stop thinking about it; all I wanted was to be back in that world. Beautifully written; rich and evocative with shades of Angela Carter.
I was utterly immersed in the world of Shay and Nonesuch, swept into the ordure and shine of Elizabethan London, felt the mad rush of performance and the darkness after it has passed. The last third, with its reversal and manic dash had me furiously turning pages, the events of Saturnalia as big as the city itself. It is vivid, heady and brilliantly staged.
All stars
Most relevant
What a break from my usual genre and what a treat - a fabulous listen from start to finish

Absolutely captivating

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Gripping and heartbreaking. A great tale that draws you in. As a Londoner I can imagine the streets named set at the time of the story.

Compelling listening!

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Far too much descriptive waffle resulted in a slowdown of the story and a waning of interest. I nearly gave up. Second half was better but the ending wasn’t for me. The book flip flops between a love story,fantasy,betrayal and historical although I have to question the historical context especially when referring to “glass skylights” ?
All in all Matt Oman’s first book for me was far better.

Too descriptive, confused.

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A haunting tale of courage and heartbreak. I felt this to the bottom of my heart.

Loved it!

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I listen to audiobooks when I’m out walking. So many times I had to rewind because my mind had wandered off during the many lengthy description passages. I found this book hard to concentrate on. The characters were well drawn, Elizabethan London came to life in all its squalor and wonder. It vividly and heartbreakingly paints a picture of the huge difference between rich and poor. I found the made up bird religion odd and jarring, but the bird descriptions were perfect. Fabulous narration - she kept me listening even though I am now glad it’s over! Not my cup of tea overall, but I can see why people have given it such high praise.

Some beautiful writing, but overall slow and hard to follow

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