Review: Ghost: The Musical (spoiler alert)

Hi chums, this is my initial draft before it appears on Theatreland, which may be edited....

Great night out: for romantic numbers and tearjerking moments

Morning after effect: checking furtively over your shoulder, just in case that coffee mug really did move by itself
Recommend to friends? For die-hard Ghost fans

Best bit: Oda Mae Brown’s scenes with Sam

Interesting factoid: Poignantly, it was at this very same theatre in 2006 that Patrick Swayze performed in Guys and Dolls as Nathan Detroit.

With the film-to-stage adaptations satuating the West End at the moment, you could forgive me for being a little on the cautious side. After all, Shrek: The Musical, despite sounding awful, did not suck (apart from Richard Blackwood as Eddie-Murphy-as-Donkey).

Still in previews, the show is a faithful by-the-numbers adaptation of the film, brought up to date for the 21st century, complete with Euro signs and a digital camera.

Richard Fleeshman, best known for playing tortured teen Craig Harris in Coronation Street and later Warner in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2010, fills the rather large shoes left behind by Patrick Swayze as Sam Wheat, the protagonist of the story. Canadian Broadway actress Caissie Levy claims the role Molly Jensen as her own, complete with a mane of blonde curls over Demi Moore’s dark pixie crop.

Whilst Sam and Molly’s affection for each other was slightly sickly at the beginning, it did provide a painful foreshadowing for what was to come. Fleeshman’s Sam turned from twinkly, cheeky and carefree into sustained panic for the majority of the show, which I felt could have been toned down. The songs were competently delivered by the two main stars, even if Molly’s songs seemed all very similar - well, the girl was mourning for the love of her life, after all.

One scene that did leave me in disbelief was “Ball of Wax”, a flinch-inducing jazz-handed number by a group of ghosts in the hospital scene following Sam’s death. Clearly an attempt at comic relief, it was completely jarring and out of place, following the tragedy and for the show as a whole.

The ensemble cast, although talented in voice, were sadly lacking in choreographic direction, and for the most part, distracted from the main action at the front of the stage with jarring, robotic movements, not in keeping with the show tunes.

The star of the show was undoubtably Sharon D Clarke as ‘spiritualist’ Oda Mae Brown. A stage and screen veteran with the likes of The Lion King, Chicago and Hairspray under her belt, she tackled the role of the sassy conwoman with gusto, and although delivering lines lifted straight from the film, she makes a firm distinction from Whoopi Goldberg’s portrayal. Her verbal sparring with Sam easily stood out for me as the most enjoyable parts of the show.

Andrew Langtree’s Carl was an affable, likeable character for the first part of the performance, making his ultimate betrayal all the worse. Whilst vocally not suited to a singing role, his descent into murderous deviousness and finally hysterical banshee by the end was unsettling. Langtree refreshingly portrayed Carl more as a victim of his own greed as he is caught up in the runaway consequences of his actions, vastly differing from Tony Goldwyn’s dastardly traitor in the film.

The legendary pottery wheel sequence is toned down for younger audience members, yet infuriatingly sandwiched in after the interval after Sam is already dead. A token nod to the film or a hasty afterthought; either way this scene would have been better served at the beginning before Sam and Molly’s love scene, or removed altogether. However, the use of Unchained Melody as a simple refrain, rather than an in-your-face number, was sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.

The stage props were simple and pared down, as not to distract from the performances. Unfortunately this could be said for the huge projections of people onto the screens behind the cast, which often detracted from the main action on stage, as in the case, of ballsy Wall Street number “More”. However, they came into great effect, especially during Sam’s first attempt at phasing through a door, and his final acsension into Heaven where, I daresay, it caused a few moist eyes in the house (including my own).

Audience

If you were a fan of the film, the story will have you gripped. The songs, although not memorable, add to the suspense and emotion of the characters. Although a lot has been done to tone down the content for younger theatregoers, there is sexual content at the beginning, and the odd swear word let loose during the action sequences.

Piccadilly Theatre

Due to a high stage the view is restricted from rows A to C in the Stalls for most children and shorter adults. Those situated in the Royal Circle may spot prop hands in the wings, which can be distracting. Binoculars may come in handy if you are in these far back seats.