Based on the 1990 hit movie, Ghost the Musical is a touching production about love, grief and loss.
When Molly’s boyfriend Sam is murdered, she is left alone and in despair. Sam is a ghost and can still see Molly and attempts to communicate with her through psychic Oda May Brown to get Molly out of danger.
With beautiful music co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, we hear a mixture of moving ballads to high-spirited belters. The cast compliment the score excellently and bring heaps of emotion to narrative. It would be easy for the writers to shoehorn songs into this show however they are sublimely balanced to magnify the storytelling.
Last night understudy Charlotte-Kate Warren stepped in to take on the role of Molly. She brings a real sincerity to the part as she displays her emotions that is genuinely compelling to connect to. With stunning vocals, her rendition of the heart-wrenching ‘With You’ pulled on all the heart-strings. Warren has mesmeric chemistry with Niall Sheehy who played the role of Sam. Sheehy created a likeable character that you find yourself constantly rooting for. Sheehy and Warren strike the perfect balance to create a believable romance that doesn’t feel too cringey – which is the danger of this show.
Lifting the energy and bringing immense humour to the production is Jacqui Dubois as the psychic Oda May. Although she might not be the most authentic psychic, she has the power of talking to ghosts. Dubois has flawless comedy timing, she is witty and vibrant in the role and her vocals are show-stopping as she belts the big numbers I’m A Believer and I’m Outta Here.
What makes this production so impressive is the clever use of lighting. Designer Nick Richings creates that parallel between the real world and the ghosts with haunting lighting. They’re on stage and within the action, but feel far away with the way they’re lit. The finale of the show is lit so innovatively as Sam steps finally leaves this ‘in-between world’ he is stuck in. It’s a poignant moment in the show and the emotions are enhanced by the expressive lighting.
Ghost the Musical takes the story we all know and love and gives it a new lease of life in this musical adaptation. It’s impactful, life-affirming and captures all of the emotions.
★★★★
Ghost is on at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until Sat 26 Jan, further tour dates can be found on the website.
