By Martin Brisland.
Having loved the movie the musical is based on; would this production be what I’ve hungered for?
The Oscar-winning movie from 1990 with Demi Moore, the late Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg, was the highest grossing film of 1990 and won an Oscar for screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin. He has beautifully translated the classic story from screen to stage, retaining the key elements many know and love. This musical adaptation of Ghost, which premiered in 2011, is out of this world.
The emotionally charged Ghost tells the story of young lovers Molly and Sam whose lives are torn apart when Sam is murdered. Trapped between this world and the next, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in a desperate attempt to save her when he realises she is in danger.
“It’s an ode to the movie version,” says Rebekah Lowings, who brilliantly plays Molly Jensen. Josh St. Clair stars as Sam Wheat and there is believable chemistry between them.
In this heart-wrenching tale, Molly is grieving the loss of her boyfriend Sam Wheat. Trapped between this world and the next, Sam enlists the help of phoney psychic Oda Mae Brown in an attempt to make contact with Molly to warn her that she is in grave danger.
Jacqui Dubois who plays the standout role of Oda Mae creates much needed humour among the darkness of the story, stealing the scenes whenever she gets the chance in a brilliantly overblown portrayal.
James Mateo-Salt delivers some great vocals in his role as Carl, the villain of the piece.
A smash hit across the globe, Ghost the Musical features The Righteous Brothers’ classic Unchained Melody alongside many more terrific original songs co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.
One of the movie’s most famous scenes, where Molly and a still-living Sam enjoy an erotically charged pottery-making session, is kept in this version.
Ghost is a timeless love story that everyone who has lost a loved one can connect with. When Sam’s life is taken away from him, he’s determined to protect Molly and to tell her that he loves her, which he didn’t say when he was alive.
It’s also a thriller with supernatural elements. The show’s illusions by Richard Pinner are exceptional.
Ghost covers the full array of human emotions and has a profound effect on audiences.
Ultimately, the show says that love endures, and you should be thankful that you have had that kind of love in your life. A supernatural love story that has captured the hearts of people all over the world for decades, I knew what was coming yet still teared up at the end.
Not to be missed!
Tickets for the globally acclaimed Ghost the Musical (Tuesday 11– Saturday 15 February 2025) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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