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★★★
The hit 1990 film ‘Ghost’ was adapted into a musical 14 years ago and it has enjoyed a stint in the West End, on Broadway and toured the UK multiple times, bringing the much adored supernatural love story to stages across the world. Centring on young lovers Sam Wheat and Molly Jenson and their tragically short romance, the show is currently back on tour for 2024/2025 and is based in Canterbury this week at the Marlowe Theatre. The film starred Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze and is one of those movies that has really stood the test of time. I was intrigued to find out how it would work as a musical, with the score bound to feature the track ‘Unchained Melody’, now easily recognised as the film’s anthem. Funnily enough, the lyrics of this song are actually included on the curtain artwork for the show when you arrive at the theatre, so I knew we were in for an adaptation that would be true to the original story.
Imagining this spiritual tale for the stage
The film’s screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin penned the book for the musical and aside from some minor changes to ensure that the material is evenly paced, the narrative is almost exactly the same. From the main love interests and medium Oda Mae Brown (Jacqui Dubois) to the minor roles of the Hospital Ghost (Tim Maxwell-Clarke) and the Subway Ghost (Garry Lee), every character from the film has a place in the musical, bringing the story that audiences know and love to life. In terms of the writing, many of the one-liners from the film have been included in the musical’s script, from Sam’s “ditto” to Oda Mae Brown’s hilarious one-liners. It is a pleasure to see these phrases make an appearance, as they are part of what made ‘Ghost’ such a popular film.
Thoughts on the score and music
As an almost identical narrative, ‘Ghost the Musical’ is enjoyable, but I was looking for that extra special spark to fully justify this musical adaptation and I didn’t feel this was covered by the score. Whilst the overall tone of the music is very much in tune with the more sombre themes of the source material, the songs aren’t particularly memorable and for me, this is what lets the show down. The work excels in its recreation of the underlying heart and the humour, but in my opinion, some of the musical numbers feel repetitive and make me wonder if this should be a play with songs instead. It’s a complex one as the principal cast are incredibly talented musically, particularly Rebekah Lowings in the role of Molly, but some of the songs lack weight and individuality in their own right. That being said, Molly’s ‘With You’ is utterly beautiful and a highlight.
Illusions and set design
Aside from the score, the production elements that intrigued me most were the illusions, set and lighting design. Once Sam (Josh St. Clair) has been murdered, the character is lit in blue to indicate that he is no longer living and there are some interesting levitation and wall travelling effects that help to keep the paranormal elements alive throughout. When other characters die and move to the afterlife I would like to have seen a little more of their onward journey, as these are often obscured by moving set pieces, but on the whole I thought the supernatural sequences were cleverly visualised.
A piece of theatre for longtime Ghost fans
Whilst it’s not my favourite film-to-stage romantic musical, I do think the creative team have taken a considerate effort to make sure the show stays true to the original film and also remain sensitive to the core subject matter of grief. The cast are also brilliant with the material they have in front of them, specifically Jacqui Dubois as Oda Mae Brown. You can catch ’Ghost the Musical’ at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday 22nd February, with tickets available via the theatre’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Ghost the Musical’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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