Last night I was invited to see Ghost The Musical at the Wolverhampton Grand by The West Bromwich Operatic Society. Based on the 1990 smash hit film, Ghost tells the story of two lovers Sam and Molly as they start their life together. After Sam is tragically murdered he becomes trapped as a Ghost, he soon learns that Sam is in danger and his attempts to protect her from his murderer leads him to a psychic named Oda Mae Brown.
Titled as one of the most prestigious amateur musical theatre companies in the Midland’s, The West Bromwich Operatic Society seriously did not disappoint, I couldn’t fault any member of the cast as their talent and professionalism was flawless.
Considering it was the first time I’d seen the musical, I was engrossed from start to finish as the story was told passionately through both Sam and Molly.
John Wetherall who played Sam gave a very convincing performance, his love for Molly was nearly palpable as he went to such great lengths to protect her. His acting conveyed the different sides to his character well, he portrays his anger and frustration superbly, especially in such a challenging role as he is unable to be seen by Molly throughout the majority of the show.
Laura Stanford who played Molly had a phenomenal voice, I felt as if she’d just walked off the west end stage as her voice literally stole the show for me. She had a real likability about her character, it was obvious she had a true understanding of the role and the subtlety of her acting was spot on, particularly her stunning performance of “With You”.
George Stuart tackled the manipulative character of Carl effortlessly. Perfectly cast for the role, his ability to switch instantly from the genuine supportive friend to the despicable cause of Sam’s death was impeccable since it left me genuinely gobsmacked as I’d really warmed to his character.
A particular stand out performance was Laura Wynter who played Oda Mae Brown the sassy psychic, she has the ability to hear Sam and therefore is Sam’s route of communication into the normal world. Her voice was tremendous and she had the audience in hysterics as her wittiness and comedy timing was marvellous. Her feisty character really brought a sense of relief as it lifted the heaviness of the tragic storyline, keeping the audience alive and engaged.
Other fantastic performances inclu
de James Mateo – Salt who gave an exceptionally intimidating performance as the thug Willie Lopez. Also Maison Kelley, perfecting the role of the Subway Ghost, despite his frenzied rage the story of how he became a ghost was touching, enabling the audience to really empathise with him.
The ensemble were very strong and there was not one weak link as they performed highly creative choreography by choreographer Clare Flavell. “More” was a captivating number as the innovative choreography smoothly transitioned into the busy subway.
Having not seen the professional production of Ghost I have nothing to compare it to however I thought the show was sensational. With more rehearsal time it could have been slicker and at times they needed to pick up the pace, but with such a talented cast and creative team it is definitely the most professional amateur show I’ve ever seen.
Ghost is on until Saturday the 16th of May and tickets can be found here.
Photo Credit: Ariane Photography Studio
Watch the trailer for the production below…
