Ghost: A Haunting Musical Experience

Ghost the musical, a stage adaptation of the iconic 1990 film, has captivated audiences with its timeless story of love, loss, and the afterlife. 

This production, featuring a haunting score by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard, delivers a powerful and emotionally resonant experience.

The musical follows the story of Sam Wheat, a ghost trapped in the earthly realm after being murdered. Desperate to communicate with his fiancée, Molly Jensen, Sam enlists the help of a fraudulent psychic named Oda Mae Brown. Together, they navigate the challenges of the afterlife as Sam tries to protect Molly from a dangerous threat.

One of the highlights of the production is the performance of the lead actors. 

Rebekah Lowings (Mollie), and Josh St Clair (Sam), deliver powerful and nuanced performances, capturing the essence of their characters and drawing the audience into their emotional journey, their chemistry on stage is palpable, making their love story all the more compelling - with huge kudos to Rebekah, who must be emotionally drained at the end of each show, such is her convincing portrayal at the devastation of her loss. 

The show is perfectly balanced via the introduction of Oda Mae Brown, her performance memorable as she must strike a delicate balance between comedy, empathy, and supernatural elements with Jacqui Dubois the perfect casting for this role, oozing wit, charm and personality.

The musical features a collection of memorable songs and although the haunting ‘Unchained Melody’ was the only one I remember from the film, perfectly captures the emotional depth of the story.

The musical's staging is visually stunning, with innovative use of lighting and special effects to create a believable and atmospheric world. 

The production’s design team has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of both the earthly and spiritual realms, immersing the audience in the story and the choreography on point, with the support cast all in unison, offering perspectives and experiences that complement those of the main characters while also offering comedic moments. 

The stand out example for this was showcased in the train scene, where Sam meets the Subway Ghost who teaches him how to move objects, resulting in an incredible ‘Matrix-style’ moment.

Ghost The Musical is beautifully crafted, with its haunting score, powerful performances, and stunning visuals, it is a must-see for fans of both the film and musical theatre, that is sure to leave a lasting impression - well it certainly did on me as one of my two greatest fears when watching live media, be it cinema or theatre, being too scared at a film with no cushion to hide behind, or sitting in a packed theatre and shedding a tear - I’ll leave you to guess which emotion won out…..

Ghost The Musical runs until Saturday, October 19 at the Princess Theatre, Torquay.