What better way to ease into the festive period than a feel-good production at the Winter Gardens? Stephen Dunstan was clearly not alone in this view as a large audience gathered for the opening night of Ghost – The Musical.
Given the film the show was based on came out in 1990 a brief summary of the plot might help some. Sam (a banker) and Molly (an artist) are a couple, and much in love though he doesn’t always convey this fully. Sam’s work associate Carl is up to no good and whilst attempting to embezzle money sets in chain events that lead to Sam’s death. Learning of the betrayal from the spirit world, Sam engages the services of clairvoyant Oda Mae to protect Molly and try and ensure good triumphs over evil.
I think in some marketing the production was billed as starring Les Dennis. I wondered how Les, national treasure that he is, could star in Ghost aged 71. The answer is he doesn’t, but he has two cameos as ‘Hospital Ghost’ and banker Lionel Ferguson which he plays to very good effect.
The actual stars are Rebekah Lowings as Molly, and Josh St Clair playing Sam. They are a convincing couple and Lowings in particular has a strong singing voice that carries very well and was warmly received. To some extent the stars have their thunder stolen by Jacqui Dubois in the role of Oda Mae Brown, a larger than life portrayal of a larger than life character. The soundtrack is by Brit Award-winning former Eurythmics member Dave Stewart and Grammy Award winning Glen Ballard with Bruce Jeol Rubin also involved in the adaptation of his original Oscar winning screenplay.
I recalled having reviewed Ghost at the Winter Gardens previously. Checking back this was in October 2016, and it turns out that it was the same Bill Kenwright production which has run in different forms since 2011. Not only that but it was Jacqui Dubois in the role of Oda Mae Brown. Another feature of the production I highlighted then was the number of different spaces effectively represented by creative set changes, and this was also the case in this 2024 incarnation. It did feel though, that the production values had been made a little more family-friendly over the intervening years – some of the bawdy and blasphemous exchanges in the original production have been toned down somewhat.
After a slow burning beginning there are some striking scenes, and I would recommend you brace yourself for the post-interval restart which goes with a bang. Conveying the supernatural effectively in this kind of realistic storyline is a real challenge, but some special effects relating to a spirit that lives on the subway are particularly effective. If you are a fan of the Demi Moore / Patrick Swayze / Whoopi Goldberg movie you should also greatly enjoy Ghost – The Musical. And if you are new to the premise it promises an entertaining evening of song and engaging choreography.
Ghost – The Musical is at the Winter Gardens Opera House until Saturday 7th December. Book here.
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