With elements of a more contemporary world, Ghost the Musical resurrects the beloved ‘90s movie couple Sam Wheat (Josh St Clair) and Molly Jenson (Rebekah Lowings). When he is torn apart from her by his unexpected death, Sam is forced to accept his new illusory existence as he watches Molly battle with the grief. Caught between both worlds, audiences are witness as Sam attempts to communicate to, and protect his love from dangerous schemes that lie ahead. However, his recruitment of the psychic Oda Mae Brown (Jacqui Dubois) is exasperating, ungraceful and embarrassing- anything but the plain sailing strategy he’d had in mind.
Despite all, however, it is Dubois’s hilarious inflections and physical presence that secures the comedic elements of the performance. After witnessing the grating fake American accents earlier on in the show (alongside a few tacky jokes that didn’t quite land with the audience), Oda Mae’s curmudgeonly attitude erases any prior concerns or clumsy moments. Dressed in vivid colours, and sporting extravagant designs, Dubois’s vivacious presence and superficial bad temper contrasts with the true grief at work within the play. In fact, her snarky stage relationship with St Clair is one of the most entertaining dynamics of the production. Producing laughs that ripple across the audience, the interplay between Oda and Sam represents more than just the parallels between life and death- it portrays the importance of humour in times of darkness.
In terms of the production’s music, Rebekah Lowings surpasses all expectations. Despite repetitive plot moments or conversations, the power and charge of her voice is enough to draw the audience back in. The background music does drown out her words at times, but Lowing’s expressions, inflections and physical evocations of despair discard the need for words.
Most interesting, however, is the effect produced when Molly, Sam and their ‘friend’ Carl (James Mateo-Salt) sing together. Overlapping in melody and meaning, the image of seeing each character’s perspective is both electrifying and illuminating. While physically together on stage, their minds and bodies are paradoxically elsewhere- even on separate fields of existence altogether. Tomson’s interpretation depicts the dichotomy between body and soul.
Overall, it is the emotional impact that truly uplifts this performance. Lighting Designer Nick Richings perfectly captures Sam and Molly’s unspoken intimacy as they dance, exclusively illuminated, on a stage that is otherwise enveloped by darkness. Despite the conviction that their grief binds them together, the ending of the play sees dappled light travel from the stage and onto the audience. Perhaps signalling a future of hope, Molly is reminded that she too must let go and rejoin the ‘real’ world.
I do feel, however, that emotion could have been intensified in other directions; the renowned song Unchained Melody was not as synonymous with the famous Ghost pottery scene as it was in the original movie. Only referenced later on in the show, I imagine the tears of the audience would be tenfold if they were to witness the melody infuse the romance both in life and death.
Nonetheless this production of Ghost the Musical is beautifully hilarious, evocative and romantic. Generating both bouts of laughter, and streams of tears, it is a near-perfect adaptation of a much-loved classic.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Ghost the Musical is playing at the Lyceum Theatre until March 15th, & touring the U.K. until May 3rd
