Review: Ghost the Musical (UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s been a few years since Ghost The Musical was last seen in the UK but now it is back from the dead haunting theatres up and down the country as it kicks off a brand new tour. Amazingly, its previous incarnations had always passed me by (I will always regret missing the original West End run) so I jumped at the chance to visit the classic love story for the first time, on the first night of the new tour no less. Having grown up loving the movie the musical is based on, would this production be what I’ve hungered for?

Based on the Oscar-winning movie from 1990, the musical adaptation of Ghost premiered in 2011 where it enjoyed a West End run and a move to Broadway the following year. Several UK tours have followed since but this marks its first return since theatres re-opened post lockdowns. The show tells the story of couple Molly and Sam whose lives are changed forever (literally) 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’s in danger, girl.

Bruce Joel Rubin’s book beautifully translates the classic story from screen to stage, retaining the key elements of the story we all know and love while tweaking others and modernising the setting. A beautiful and tragic story that has captured the hearts of people all over the world for decades, I knew what was coming and still teared up at the end. His attempts to flesh out the characters have varying success with some suffering from feeling too underwritten and fairly one note – while the focus has rightly been made on the three main characters in the story, there is a sense that a richness may have been lost by not giving more elsewhere, such as the underwritten character of Carl, for example.

When you think of Ghost, the song ‘Unchained Melody’ comes to mind with THAT iconic scene from the movie. As they can’t sing the same song on a loop for 2 hours (though it does get a few outings here), Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard have been enlisted to create original music and lyrics alongside writer Bruce Joel Rubin. The result is a bit of a mixed bunch with a handful of incredible numbers joined by some that are far less memorable. Musical highlights include Oda Mae’s big musical moment ‘I’m Outta Here’ and the transcending ‘With You’ (more on that standout moment soon). Not every moment is as successful, however, with annoying early number ‘More’ ironically leaving me longing for less.

I should state that this was the first night of the tour and I’m sure certain elements will be tightened up as the tour progresses, however it would be dishonest of me to not point of some of the weaker elements I felt were in this production. Dogged with sound problems on the night, I also felt the show was under-directed with not much consideration for the ensemble cast who seemed to find themselves standing around with not much to do. While the focus on the main characters is wear Ghost shines, it left moments on stage feeling awkward. Not every characterisation on stage worked either, with the feeling that it still needed refining more as came across somewhat under-rehearsed in places. I would be keen to return to the show later in the tour to see improvements in these areas.

Certain production elements here let the show down with both the direction and choreography failing to light up the stage or, in some cases, even fill it. I wondered if less might be more in some cases as it was the intimate moments that proved the most captivating, making the bigger and louder sequences jarring and leaving me frustrated at the inconsistences throughout. While a high-tech stage is not always possible for a touring production, I did feel like the set design also let the production down with wobbly sets and subpar effects losing the impact key moments should have had.

The strongest aspect in this production of Ghost is undoubtedly its stunning cast, led by Rebekah Lowings as Molly Jenson and Josh St. Clair as Sam Wheat. As the tragic Sam, St. Clair delivers a hauntingly good performance as he fantastically embodies the spirit of the character who is not only trying to accept his fate but spare his love from meeting a similar one. Consistently captivating whenever he was present, his stage presence was truly felt – while other characters may not have been able to see him, it was hard for the audience to take their eyes off of him. With incredible vocals and a gorgeously emotive portrayal, he delivered a great portrayal of a character who has big shoes to fill.

Having played the role before, Rebekah Lowings was truly sensational as Molly in a performance that felt authentic and never over-the-top. Shining every moment she was on stage, it was her performance of the show’s biggest original number ‘With You’ that provided the standout moment of the night. Her other-worldly rendition of the beautifully emotive and heart-wrenching number was full of spine-tingling vocals, showcasing he incredible range and leaving me feeling like I had died and gone to heaven.

Also returning to the show is Jacqui Dubois in the standout role of Oda Mae Brown. In her big portrayal of a big character, Dubois creates much needed humour among the darkness of the story, stealing the scenes whenever she gets the chance in a brilliantly overblown portrayal. TV legend Les Dennis gets two small but memorable roles as the hospital ghost and Lionel Ferguson, while James Mateo-Salt delivers some stunning vocals in his time as Carl and showcases his talents, though the characterisation may not have always been where it should have been, dangerously running the risk of turning into panto villain territory.

Ghost The Musical is a refreshing take on a classic. While this production is far from perfect and definitely needs a bit more tightening up, it has a lot going for it – mainly in its remarkable cast. Anyone who loved the movie or the musical in its previous runs should be prepared to fall in love all over again. With stunning performances that will haunt me for days to come, what this show may lack in production value, it more than makes up for in spirit.

Ghost The Musical plays at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre until 24th August and continues touring around the UK into 2025. Dates and tickets here

Photos by Pamela Raith depicting cast from a previous production