[Victoria, BC] Future Plans for Ghosts of the Plaza! A Theatrical Preview

Yes Virginia, the garden city in Supernatural British Columbia has ghosts lurking in one of its most notorious 101-year-old building, the Victoria Plaza Hotel. They have decided to stay around to "tell" their story in the appropriately titled theatre production, "Ghost of the Plaza." It is written by Sarah Smith, a former employee of Monty's Showroom Pub who heard the tales but never had an encounter, and her co-producer, Sadie Forbes, an amateur scholar who is an avid researcher.

Together, they managed to unearth more than just bones in the rustic basement. Their stories will span nearly a century of the old building's existence, and the show will run during the last two weekends of November. But the plans do not stop here. Ghosts are eternal, and so is this team's story.

"The concept for the play happened quite organically," explained Forbes, "It grew from a whim of Sarah's to learn more about the history of the building where she had worked for nine years."

The two agreed that the best way to present the different eras of the hotel's existence was in a collection of vignettes, each with its unique feel and cast of characters. Even the cast was exciting to work with. During rehearsals, Forbes was very excited to see everyone in costume, as the history was being brought to the fore, into the 21st Century!

"This project has always been imagined as a collective sharing with local Victorians and a testament to how an overlooked space can say a lot about our shared history," said Smith.

But in today's era, the hotel is an eyesore. The stories about the destitute and dregs supposedly living here did not deter the team from digging for the truth. By also employing the free services of Paranormal Victoria Research and Investigations Society to find what else goes on within its walls, the team had a plenty of material to draw from to write this play.

"But we had to cut the research short so we could meet our playwright deadline, so that is not saying much," said Smith, "But we hope to resume after the production."

Plans include producing a book and taking the show to the Fringe festival circuit.

As this city is celebrating its 150th year, the funding came together along with Rosie Bitts helping to executive produce. Additional money arrived by the way of the Greater Victoria Spirit Committee chipping in with an Arts grant.

"We were still shocked and thrilled that they chose to fund a ghostly comedy based on the history of one of Victoria's most notorious building," said Forbes.

But for Smith, who graduated from the University of Victoria with an honours degree in Woman's Studies, there is a lot more to the building which also houses a strip club. While unsuspecting visitors and student travellers arrive to the hotel to stay the night, other people may walk through the hotel's halls.

"Throughout our research it was evident that Ladies of the Evening have always frequented the spot," revealed Smith, "and we believe this was true at the Beer Parlour also."

Smith also knew that some individuals made the place her home, especially one character from the 50's. "Rosie the Riveter was called to duty," explained this playwright, "But once the war was over both marketing and gender norms sought to turn Rosie into Suzie Homemaker."

But the stories Smith collected include a rumour about a dark entity, a blob, that regularly visits on certain days of the week. Its shifty appearance and dodgy nature can frighten the most hardened of men in the makeshift workshop that was once a fancy dining establishment. A former maintenance and security man has claimed to have witnessed the spirit of a woman, perhaps an exotic dancer, dangling from a noose in a quiet corner of the basement. The latter tale is one of the many stories featured in this play.

"Over the years many staff have claimed to have seen her downstairs," said Smith, "We have some leads from staff who worked at the strip club back in the '90s, which was when the suicide reportedly took place."

Murders and moments of insanity have took place within the hotel too. When considering some of the best films take place within such a building—just consider The Shining. But not all hotels also had its shops haunted too! Smith teases about one of the vignettes: "The scene that was set in the 60s, at The Secret coffeehouse, has a lot of truth in it: Pat Paulsen would do elaborate publicity stunts to promote it, and the ghost story from that era most certainly happened!"

Chairs moved on their own, and they would be found stacked upon each other a la Poltergeist.

"The scenes throughout the '70s/'90s/present day are all very close to the truth," noted Smith, "with a couple of major exceptions concerning murder and death, so best just to say 'based upon' to be safe!"

As for why spirits choose to lurk in such a building that sees plenty of action—in a variety of grisly and beautiful ways—Forbes has a possible explanation: "Energy gathers at such places, liminal places where the energies of the earth and water come together. In the haunted basement of the hotel today, the Edwardian mosaic tile floor is cracked and buckled in places following the old stream-bed and the natural contours of the land. The earth, the spirits, and the old hotel. And of course, as Ghostly Walks historian John Adams says, all hotels collect spirits, because there are so many people passing through."

*Showtimes:

Odd Fellows Hall

1315 Douglas St Victoria, BC

Friday, Nov. 16th – 2 Shows: 7:30pm and 9:00pm

Saturday Nov. 17th – 3 Shows: 4:30pm, 7:30pm, and 9:00pm

Friday Nov. 23rd – 2 Shows: 7:30pm and 9:00pm

Saturday Nov. 24th – 3 Shows: 4:30pm, 7:30pm, and 9:00pm

For more information, please visit their webpage:

The Ghosts of the Plaza Website

Or their Facebook page:

Ghosts of the Plaza on Facebook

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